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Life in Alaska. 



LETTERS OF 



MRS. EUGENE S. WILLARD. 



EDITED BY HER SISTER, 



MRS. EVA McCLINTOCK. 




PHILADELPHIA : 

PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, 

1334 CHESTNUT STREET. 



COPYRIGHT, 1884, BY 

THE TRUSTEES OF THE 

PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION 



ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 



Westcott & Thomson, 
Stereotyfers and Elect) otypers, Philada. 






<^^ 



Life in Alaska. 



TO 
SHELDON JACKSON, D.D., 

Alaska's Chief Missionary, 

AND 

ITS MISSIONARIES' CHIEF FRIEND, 

THESE LETTERS ARE GRATEFULLY DEDICATED 

By THE Author. 



INTRODUCTION. 



THE world is often tempted to think 
that the age of faith has passed away. 
In the midst of the greed of money-mak- 
ing, the rivalries of social display and the 
selfishness of pleasure-seeking, even the 
Church herself is almost surprised at high 
heroic sacrifice for the cause of Christ and 
the salvation of men. Perhaps this may 
partially account for the pleased surprise 
with which many have perused these let- 
ters as they have come fresh from the 
front of missionary operations on the re- 
mote borders of our own land. But as 
the great Head of the Church is " the same 
yesterday, to-day and for ever," so his he- 
roic spirit of sacrifice springs to life eter- 
nally beautiful in the heirs of his grace. 
Surely, in nothing is the spirit of our 

5 



6 INTR OD UC TION. 

blessed Master more clearly evinced than 
in flying on the wings of love to the abodes 
of wretchedness and ministering that mer- 
cy of which it has been truly said, 

" It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven 
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed : 
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes." 

The letters which form this little collec- 
tion were written with no thought of pub- 
lication, but they have so touched the 
hearts of all who have read them as to 
secure a warm personal interest in the 
writer and a private circulation quite un- 
usual in correspondence so modest. So 
stimulating has been their influence in 
praying circles and mission bands that 
many have expressed the desire to have 
them in a more permanent form, and to 
see them launched on a career of wider 
usefulness. 

If in some cases these letters are found to 
be fragmentary, let it be remembered that 
they were written in scraps of time snatched 
from a life of more than usual care and 
weariness, sometimes in the midst of great 



INTRODUCTION. 7 

excitement, sometimes in the midst of the 
most vexatious interruptions. Their pow- 
er is largely due to their artless simplicity, 
but they furnish unconscious pictures of 
the homely necessities generally incident 
to the missionary's lot. They throb with 
the loyalty of Christian devotion and are 
redolent with the perfume of native re- 
finement and womanly grace. As we read 
on, our hearts are touched, our sympathies 
are enlisted, criticism is disarmed and pre- 
judices melt away ; we are in no mood to 
demand the felicities of an elaborate rhet- 
oric, and we are quite content that the 
Christian wife and mother shall tell the 
story of her loving service in her own 
way. 

The very circumstances of the case for- 
bid that the writer of these letters should 
now give her personal care to their re- 
vision. The collection and the publica- 
tion of these "voices of the heart" have 
been the work, not of their author, but 
of others, who have gladly assumed not 
only the labor, but also the responsibility, 
of this little venture. 



8 INTRODUCTION. 

The desire to know something of a 
writer's personahty is very natural to all 
readers, and yet delicacy forbids that we 
should say much of the living. Mrs. Wil- 
lard was born in New Castle, Pennsylvania, 
May 3, 1853. Her maiden-name was Car- 
oline McCoy White. Very early in life she 
showed a decided disposition for missionary 
work, formed a missionary society of little 
p^irls and deliorhted in reading the stories 
of missionary labors and trials. In her 
eleventh year she had a protracted sick- 
ness, during which all hope of recovery 
was given up by her friends, and by her- 
self all desire to live. In this condition 
she lay waiting and longing day by day 
to depart and be with Christ, but after 
being, to all appearance, dead, she re- 
vived and rapidly recovered. The assur- 
ance, given to her by her parents, that 
the Lord must have work for her to do, 
reconciled her to life, and while yet too 
weak to visit her companions she ad- 
dressed them with letters on the subject 
of religion. When she was sufficiently 
recovered to be carried into the church, 



IN TR ODUC TION. 9 

she publicly made a profession of her faith 
in Christ. 

Owing to delicate health, her education 
was not so full and varied as her parents 
desired, but she was fond of reading and 
acquired much valuable information whilst 
receiving a sweet and gentle culture under 
the sheltering, fostering care of a refined 
Christian home. Having a taste and a 
talent for drawing and painting, she early 
began to take lessons under the instruc- 
tion of a teacher in her native place. Her 
art-studies were afterward pursued in the 
academy at Cincinnati, Ohio, in the Na- 
tional Academy, in New York, and later 
still she took lessons in portrait-painting 
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

In September, 1874, she became the 
teacher in drawing and painting in the 
United Presbyterian College, at Mon- 
mouth, Illinois, where she spent two years. 
In Mrs. Willard's graphic, picturesque style 
many will detect one of the fruits of her 
artistic studies. 

On the 24th of April, 1879, she was 
married to Mr. Eugene S. Willard, and 



lO INTRODUCTION. 

in the summer of the same year she ac- 
cepted, with her husband, a position as 
missionary teacher in Alaska under the 
Board of Home Missions of the Presby- 
terian Church. Of her subsequent expe- 
riences in trial and triumph, in joy and 
sorrow, the following letters may best tell. 
They are not published as detailing any- 
thing peculiar in missionary experience — 
for many others, doubtless, are called to 
pass through similar trials — but because 
they set forth, with a graphic power rare- 
ly surpassed, the daily-recurring scenes in 
those " dark places of the earth " that are 
" full of the habitations of cruelty." 

G. N. 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Mrs. Willard and Daughter Carrie .... Frontispiece. 
Presbyterian Church and McFarland Home, Fort 

Wrangell, Alaska 23 

Carved Implements 37 

Carved Implements 41 

Chilc^t Baskets and Horn Spoon 45 

Haines 51 

Interior of a Chilcat House 54 

Map of Chilcat Mission 99 

Chilcat Man 103 

Chilcat Mother and Child going to Church . . . 147 
Chilcat Woman Sewing, with her Babe leaning 

against the Wall 151 

An Alaskan Snow-storm 175 

Map of South-eastern Alaska 191 

Channels in South-eastern Alaska 203 

Chilcat Man in Native Costume, with Wooden 

Hat, Stone Mortar and Carved Staff .... 253 
Totem Dish of Cinnamon Bear or Hoots Tribe, with 

Table Mat 256 

11 



1 2 //. 1. US TEA 770 NS. 

Chilcat Shawl made from the Wool of the Wild 
Mountain Goat, and Covered with Totemic 

Emblems ... 257 

Medicine-Men Graves 259 

Sitka Harbor 265 

Main Street, Sitka 269 

Sheldon Jackson Institute Building 271 

Alaska Mountain Scenery 291 



Life in Alaska. 



Sheldon Jackson Institute, 

Sitka, Alaska, June 21, 1881. 

MY DEAR PARENTS : You will be 
surprised that we are still in this 
place, when by our last letter you heard 
that we were to sail in a few days for 
Chilcat, and it is difficult for the moment 
to go back and see things as you see 
them and know exactly ivhat to tell you, 
when so much more than is possible to 
tell in this slow way comes crowding upon 
the mind. We were under orders to stop 
either at Fort Wrangell or Sitka for a 
month ; so we came on to Sitka, and 
were brought to the hospitable home of Mr. 
Alonzo E. Austin and his family, who are 
in charofe of the mission here. We have 
found them most devoted and worthy peo- 

13 



14 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

pie, who warmly took us to their hearts 
and home. 

On Friday last the steam-launch of the 
United States ship Jamestown returned 
from the mines with the word that there 
was war in Chilcat ; that two men had 
been killed and several wounded, all on 
one side ; that fighting would go on until 
they were even ; that the steamer Favorite 
would bring further word, and, if neces- 
sary, a squad of United States marines 
would be detached for duty there. 

The Favorite came in on Monday with 
word that the fiofhtine was still hot. Eiijht 
had been killed — three men of rank on 
one side, for whom many more lives on 
the other side were demanded. The trou- 
ble began through drunkenness, they hav- 
ing procured a barrel of molasses for hoo- 
chirioof"' Commander Henry Glass, of the 
U. S. S. Jamestown (and a book would 
hardly suffice to tell of the good work he 
has done here in the last year), waited on 
us to say that we could not possibly accom- 
plish anything by going up there now ; he 

* An intoxicating liquor made by the natives from molasses. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1$ 

wished to have no more complications, and 
he much desired to have us quietly wait in 
this place till Dr. Sheldon Jackson should 
arrive. 

This morning the soldiers left for Chil- 
cat. The head-chief was away at the be- 
ginning of the trouble, and it is said that 
he expresses himself as so much grieved 
and disofusted that he wished to come to 
Sitka to remain until it is settled, lest Cap- 
tain Glass should hold him responsible for 
the difficulty. The Indians here expressed 
great sorrow about it. We are waiting 
now for Dr. Jackson, by the next steamer, 
who is going to bring with him the lum- 
ber and materials for our buildingf. In the 
mean time, our hearts and hands are full 
and we are praying. 

Mr. Willard preached to the whites last 
Sabbath. Yesterday he helped to put in 
potatoes for the boys' school which Mr. 
Austin has started, and which I must tell 
you more about at another time. He has 
made a very nice bedstead, and expects to 
make quite a number of things in the way 
of furniture before we start. As there is 



1 6 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

no minister here, he will fill the place while 
we remain. 

June 24. — Mr. Willard officiated at the 
fijneral of the wife of Chief Anahootz this 
morning, as the chief consented to have a 
Christian burial. It was a very sad death. 
Captain Glass had forbidden the making 
or selling of hoochinoo, and appointed this 
chief and several other Indians as police- 
men ; so that the town is not at all as it 
used to be, but much more orderly. On 
last Sabbath several Indians clubbed to- 
gether and bought a gallon of gin and 
alcohol and drank until this one of the 
party died ; her body was carried home 
amid great excitement. They hold the 
one whom they detailed to carry the whis- 
ky to them responsible for the death, and 
will not tell who sold the stuff, except that 
it was a white man. 

It is the custom of the Alaskans to com- 
pel the murderer to stay beside the corpse 
until it is finally disposed of; then, in a 
council, they decide how many " blankets " 
he shall pay. If he fails to pay the price, 
he is killed. Captain Glass heard the case 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1 7 

on Monday, and allowed them to carry out 
their custom so far as having the Indian 
Charley stay with the corpse, but said that 
he would decide what penalty each should 
pay. This morning Charley heard that 
they (the Indians) were going to ask a 
great many blankets — more than he could 
possibly pay — and said that he would kill 
himself: he would not be arrested. He is 
a very large, powerful man ; so, to save 
him from himself and from his people, 
the captain sent him, with a note, to the 
guard-house, and there they put him in 
irons. We do not know what is to be 
done. 

The captain sent for Mr. Willard to at- 
tend the " pow-wow " (council) on Monday, 
and afterward asked him to attend to the 
funeral service. He and his officers were 
in attendance, together with other whites ; 
it was held in the house of Anahootz. 
Some hymns were sung ; then Mr. Wil- 
lard spoke of death — what it is — the judg- 
ment, and the individual accountability of 
each soul for the deeds done in the body : 
" No shifting of guilt then ! As Captain 



l8 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

Glass punished each man for his own, and 
not anodier man's, sin, so God," etc. Mr, 
Austin followed. 

Then the friends, many of whom had 
been knitting and sewino- during- the ser- 
vice, took leave of the body, after which it 
was carried out through an opening made 
by the removal of some boards from the 
side of the house, as they have a super- 
stition against taking a corpse through 
the usual door of a house. They lead out 
a dog before the coffin — I suppose, that it 
may receive the thrusts of the evil spirits 
that beset the way, and prevent sickness 
from coming into the house. 

Night before last a squaw came running 
to the guard- house with the word that she 
had been out to Indian River (about a mile 
distant), when she was seized by ten Chil- 
cats, who meant to kill her to avenge the 
death of the man of their tribe who killed 
himself in the guard-house here ; but when 
they found that she was not of the family 
of that unfortunate man's wife, they let her 
go and were lying in ambush for some Sit- 
ka Indians. Upon hearing this story, the 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1 9 

officers ordered the Indian police to recon- 
noitre ; but they were afraid, and would not 
go. The Chilcats are the terror of all other 
Alaska tribes. 

We cannot tell how much truth there is 
in this woman's story. We have had no 
recent word from the Chilcat country — 
none since the Favorite left, and she is not 
expected back before the California (mail- 
steamer) leaves Sitka. . . . 

Sheldon Jackson Institute, 
Sitka, Alaska, June 29, 1881. 

Mv Dear Friends : For many days I 
have wished for the opportunity of writing 
you something of the good work in this 
dark land. The opportunity comes this 
morning while Baby sleeps, and now I re- 
alize how difficult it is to select from so 
large a collection just the facts that will be 
the most interesting and convey to you the 
truest impressions. This is a wonderful 
country in many respects. During the 
summer months it is literally a land where 
there is no night — except, indeed, the night 
which has so lone reigned over the minds 
and hearts of this people. The sun sinks 



20 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

below the mountain-top at about nine- 
o'clock p. M. I sat sewing last night till 
near eleven, and then retired by daylight. 
It is " dusk " only for about one hour at 
midnight, and then the broad day streams 
in aeain. One could read all nigrht without 
a lamp. We are so near the north pole 
that at this season but little of the sun's 
circuit is invisible. It rises, I think, at 
about one-sixth of the circle from its set- 
ting. I believe that from the height of 
Mount Saint Elias we could see the sun's 
course around the horizon without a mo- 
ment's shadow. In winter here, we are 
told, the days are correspondingly short: 
they have sunset at two or three o'clock 
in the afternoon. 

The mountains which enclose this pic- 
turesque village are white with snow, while 
on the table at my side stands a bowl of 
the most beautiful berries I ever saw — the 
salmon-berries, which are apparently a 
cross of the strawberry, which they re- 
semble in color and form, and the black- 
berry, which they are more like in seed, 
cells and flavor. In the last particular all 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 21 

fruits that I have eaten here are inferior, 
having a peculiar wild, woody taste ; but I 
believe that by culture much better vari- 
eties could be obtained. 

Since writino- this I have eaten salmon- 
berries which are as large as crab-apples 
and very delicious. In appearance they 
are certainly all that could be desired. 
We had lettuce, too, from the garden here, 
yesterday — very nice — and radishes, peas, 
cauliflowers, cabbage, potatoes and turnips ; 
and many other things are growing beau- 
tifully. 

We stopped but two hours in Fort 
Wrangell on the way here ; so I found no 
time to devote to the sketch of the mis- 
sion buildings which Dr. Jackson requested 
for his paper, there was so much to be seen 
and heard. 

The town of Wrangell is a mud-hole and 
a wharf — at least, it must have been only 
that before the missionaries made it a 
home also. Subtract the Home and the 
little signs of life through the town which 
are clearly its emanations, and it is a scene 
of desolation such as would fill your hearts 



22 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

with a new appreciation of the spirit which 
sustained our dear Mrs. McFarland when 
the departing steamer left her the only 
white woman in the place. She is the 
general, and Miss Maggie J. Dunbar is 
her able under-ofhcer. 

The Home is a large and plain but sub- 
stantial building with double porch to the 
front, looking out over the lovely harbor 
and its green islands, locked in by the 
snow-capped mountains which almost crowd 
the little town into the water. The twenty- 
eight happy girls were grouped on the up- 
per porch, and made a sweet picture in the 
light of the setting sun — a picture the de- 
tails of which grew upon us as we mingled 
among them, and which was not complete 
without the shadow of the Indian ranche in 
all its squalor and sin. After showing us 
through the house, which is surprisingly 
complete in its appointments, even to the 
bath-room (with ready faucets) out of the 
dormitory, and bake- and wash-house, a 
sittinof-room for the Qrirls and a sick-room 
— which, happily, was unoccupied — the girls 
were called into the schooVoom to sinor for 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 2$ 

US. I am sure that no one could have 
heard their sweet voices without wishingf 
to have a share in this work. The chil- 
dren looked so proud and happy ! They 
are very quick and bright. 

Mr, Young's had with them on their trip 
the little Hydah girl of about ten years 
whom they adopted' from the Home. I 
was sketching a little on deck one day, 
and she instantly became inspired. She 
would sit in perfect rapture looking at 
the mountains, sky and water. At one 
point of particular beauty she exclaimed, 
with her hands on her breast and her face 
all aglow, " Oh, my heart gave a great 
shake !" At another place Mrs. Young 
told her to sketch the scene at sunset. 
She sat with an expression of countenance 
worthy a great artist. Gazing over the shin- 
ing deep with softened eyes, she simply 
said, "I can't draw glory." This child's 
father, now dead, was the finest artist 
and silversmith on the coast. Beautiful 
work in carving and weaving is still done. 

The Home is an industrial school, the 
housework, sewing and everything being 



26 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

done by classes in turn. It has been 
named "The McFarland Home." The In- 
dian women, by the way, sew beautifully. 

After we came up here I gave my Stick- 
een girl, Kittie (whom I brought with me 
from the McFarland Home), some hand- 
kerchiefs to hem, some with the portraits 
of our President and Vice-President, which 
I intended as presents to the Chilcat chiefs, 
and I know that few white girls at her age 
would have done the work so well, I also 
cut out a new dress for her, and she made 
the skirt very nicely. By the last steamer 
she sent to " Dear Mrs. McFarland " a let- 
ter which I wish you could have seen, writ- 
ten in a plain hand, in simple yet dignified 
language, with not a word misspelled ex- 
cept my name. 

There are a good many flowers about 
the house, and between the Home and the 
very neat church-building is quite a nice 
garden. On the other side of the church is 
the little cottage-home of those consecrat- 
ed missionaries Dr. W. H. R. Corlies and 
wife. Mrs. Corlies is the daughter of a mis- 
sionary to China, and a more beautiful soul 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 27 

than hers I never recognized. I loved her 
from the first. Dr. Codies, although not a 
graduate of either medical or theolopfical 
school, has studied in both, and was or- 
dained as a missionary. They came out 
in June of 1879, from Philadelphia, with 
their one little boy of eight or ten years ; 
they have now a dear little baby-girl. 
These, with the Rev. S. Hall Young and 
wife, make up the mission force at Wran- 
gell, where is the only organized evangel- 
ical church in Alaska. 

Here in Sitka a great work has been 
done, and is going on. In looking over 
the field I am impressed with two things — 
the wonderful results already accomplished 
and the infinitely greater work yet to be 
done. It is word by word and word upon 
word ; it is in some sense like the work of 
the blacksmith, under whose hammer the 
iron constantly cools. Over and over again 
it must go to the forge, and the hammer 
must know no rest. 

Rev, John G. Brady was the first gentle- 
man sent out by a Board to Alaska. He 
came here in the spring of 1878. Some 



28 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

time after, Miss Kellogg joined him as the 
teacher of the school, and had not been 
here more than six months when she went 
to Wrangell as the wife of Rev. Mr. Young. 
Soon after, Mr. Brady resigned the charge 
of the mission. Mr. Alonzo E, Austin, a 
friend of Mr. Brady's in New York, came 
here for his health, and after the breaking 
up of the mission opened a school for the 
Russian children, which he carried on un- 
til the arrival of his family, about a year 
ago. Then it was transferred to the hands 
of his second daughter, the elder daughter 
havinor brought with her a commission as 
teacher to the Indians. Rev. G. W. Lyons 
and wife were then sent as missionaries to 
this station. They stayed but a year, when, 
on account of ill-health, they were obliged 
to return to California. Soon after, Mr. 
Austin received a teacher's commission 
also, he and his daughter being the force 
here at present. 

During our stay my husband preaches 
in the custom-house on the Sabbath, and 
we have prayer-meeting on Wednesday 
evenino-s. Mr. Austin seems to be abun- 



LrFE IN ALASKA. 29 

dantly qualified for the work here, and I 
hope he will be ordained and given charge 
of this station. He was a mission-worker 
in New York City for many years. He 
has a power really remarkable in adapting 
himself, his thoughts and his words to the 
condition of the Indians. They seem to 
like him very much, and he and his daugh- 
ter have inaugurated a work which already 
has done much good, and promises so much 
more that I would like to see them carry 
it on. 

This leads me to speak of the boys' Home 
at Sitka, which is only started and numbers 
twenty-three boys, with others pleading to 
be taken in. But until the support of some 
of the scholars is guaranteed by friends 
in the favored " East," Mr. Austin fears to 
incur more risks in debt; so the poor little 
fellows are sent back into the haunts of sin 
and vice which they have learned to hate. 
It was in this way the Home originated. 
Some of the boys attending the day-school 
begged to be allowed to stay in the build- 
ing overnight, saying they were obliged to 
see and hear wicked things in their homes, 



30 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

and the folks drank Hoochinoo and caroused 
all night ; so that they could neither sleep 
nor study, and overslept themselves in the 
morning-, making them late to school. They 
were at length taken in, and others pleaded 
for the same privilege ; so the Home be- 
gan, and was named by the missionaries 
" Sheldon Jackson Institute," after Dr. Jack- 
son, who was not only the first American 
minister to visit this section in the interests 
of missions, but has also become the " fa- 
ther of Alaska missions " by his success in 
securing both missionaries and funds for 
the work. 

You must hear of the work of Captain 
Henry Glass, of the U. S. S. Jamestown, 
which has been stationed here for two 
or three years. Captain Glass succeed- 
ed Captain L. A. Beardslee last summer. It 
is not often that the government sends out 
a missionary, but they have sent one in this 
young commander, and in his lieutenant, 
Mr. F. M. Symonds. His first move was 
to abolish hoochinoo. He made it a crime 
to sell, buy or drink it, or any intoxicating 
drinks. He prevailed upon the traders to 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 3 I 

sell no molasses to Indians in quantities, so 
that they could not make drink. He issued 
orders in regard to the cleaning up of the 
ranche (the Indian quarters), which was 
filthy in the extreme and had been the 
scene of nightly horrors of almost every 
description, the yells seeming, as some 
have said, to come from the infernal re- 
gions, murder being of common occur- 
rence and the town filled with cripples. 
He appointed a police force from the In- 
dians themselves, dressed them in navy- 
cloth, with "Jamestown" in large gilt let- 
ters on their caps and a silver star on their 
breast. He made education compulsory in 
this way : The houses were all numbered, 
and the children of each house. Each child 
was given a little round tin plate on which 
was marked his number, thus : " House No. 
17, Boy No. 5." These plates were worn 
on a string about the neck. As soon as 
the children come into school they are reg- 
istered. Whoever failed to send their chil- 
dren to school were fined a blanket. As 
soon as they discovered that the captain 
was in earnest they submitted, and I believe 



32 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

no blanket has been forfeited since the first 
week. Now, if any are going off on a fish- 
ing-tour, the head of the house comes and 
explains why his children will be absent 
and for how long. In this way the school 
attendance has been doubled, the highest 
being two hundred and seventy-one; this 
is the mission day-school. 

The Indians, not being able to spend 
their money for hoochinoo, spend it for 
food and clothing. Most of the women 
are clothed right neatly in calico dresses, 
which they make themselves and keep very 
clean ; their blankets, which are the univer- 
sal outside garment, are as white as snow, 
those that are not dyed. Some of the lat- 
ter are very handsome. I have seen sev- 
eral of a beautiful navy-blue with a stripe 
of crimson, on each side of which was a 
close scale-row of pearl buttons ; the stripe 
passed round the neck and down the front. 
An orange-colored silk handkerchief on 
the head and a pair of light-colored mocca- 
sins complete the outfit. Their blankets 
are worn with peculiar grace, a party of 
Indians making a most picturesque group. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 33 

They all wear jewelry and prefer silver to 
gold. Some of the women wear as many 
as a dozen pair of bracelets at once. They 
are generally made of coin beaten out and 
beautifully engraved. They cost from one 
dollar and a half per pair to five dollars, 
the price varying according to the width 
and weicrht. 

The ranche has been cleaned, white- 
washed and drained. Some pleasant new 
houses are being put up, and all is peace- 
ful and quiet where a few months ago it 
was a place of strife. But the work did 
not stop there : the whole town has been 
renovated ; bad Indians sent to the euard- 
house were put to work ; streets have been 
cleaned, trees planted, a sea-wall built, the 
common made tidy, etc. 

The boys who are staying at the school 
had boarded themselves, but a room has 
been fixed up a little for them ; they had 
a tin box-lid tacked up for a looking-glass. 
This was in the old barracks buildine where 
Mr. Austin's are living. Captain Glass had 
the school removed to another government 
building, quite large, and in a beautiful lo- 
.3 



34 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

cation down the beach. An effort is being 
made now to secure it out and out to the 
mission. They have been promised the 
free use of it as long as they occupy it. 
There is a laree and ofood garden attached, 
from which, it is hoped, they will have a 
considerable income over and above sup- 
plying the Home with vegetables. The 
captain had the building whitewashed and 
fixed up generally — had the ship's carpen- 
ter make the bunks for the boys, and 
benches, tables, etc. In fact, he has seemed 
to turn the crew into a mission force, he 
and his young wife at the head working 
with their own hands and encouraging in 
every way the earnest and devoted teach- 
ers. So now this staying overnight of a 
few boys has developed into a boys' board- 
ing and industrial school. They do their 
own work, even sewing now, under the 
ship's tailor, on a second suit of clothes 
for themselves of cotton-jean. They and 
the outside children attend school together 
in the morning, and on Sabbath morning 
service is held in the schoolroom there for 
the Indians. I could not keep back the 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 35 

tears of joy, when I attended their meet- 
ing, to hear these children, who but a few 
months ago were in savage darkness, now 
sittine with brisfht, eaofer faces Hstenine to 
the tidings which have gladdened so many 
hearts, and in their turn repeating as with 
one voice the Ten Commandments and the 
beautiful assurances of God's love, such as 
" God so loved the world," etc. ; then, with 
sweetly solemn voices, their hands clasped 
and heads reverently bowed, they prayed 
together in the Lord's words. I never be- 
fore heard the prayer repeated so beau- 
tifully. And still there is so much to do ; 
only a beginning has been made. The 
great house, after all, is very barren, cold 
and damp, and the boys do not have bed- 
clothes to keep them warm. They, so far, 
have found their own blankets, but they 
are insufficient, and one poor little fellow 
has none. The weather never gets warm 
here. We have fire every day and sleep 
under clothing almost as heavy as in win- 
ter at home ; so that, at least before winter 
comes, these boys ought to have some com- 
fortables. 



36 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

Another opportunity for kind hearts and 
wiUing hands is the sick-room in the Home. 
It is a dark, bleak, barren room containing 
only two cots and a stool or two — no warm 
comforts, not even a rug for the floor, 
and without curtains for the windows 
and pictures for bare walls. There is a 
dear little fellow, named Lawrence, in the 
school, who has an abscess, and the doctor 
says that he cannot live more than two 
years. Soon, I fear, he will be confined 
to this miserable room. How nice it would 
be if some of those who have beautiful 
rooms at home could spare something to 
beautify this ! He is a very bright, sweet- 
faced, patient boy, and Mr. Austin says 
he has just to pull him back from work, 
although he is so thin and weak. 

The schoolroom is very pleasant. Miss 
Austin and I colored some Bible scenes for 
the walls ; the walls and ceiling were paint- 
ed white, with a blue cornice. Mrs. Beards- 
lee presented some pretty blue calico, which 
we made into curtains for that room. In 
it, also, is the organ, and they expect to 
furnish the windows with plants. 




CARVKU IMl'LKMENTS. 



I. An ancient stone axe. 2, 3. Bones used in setting a trap for fur-animals. 
4, 5, 6. Spoon-handles made of horn. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 39 

Another thing I meant to speak of: the 
Indians, and particularly our tribe, do beau- 
tiful work in carving in bracelets of silver, 
and in spoons and forks of wood and bone, 
and in weaving from the inner bark of trees 
baskets, table-mats, hats, etc., which are not 
only very pretty, but very durable ; and we 
wish very much to encourage every indus- 
try among them, and to develop every talent. 
We feel the necessity of their becoming an 
industrious people, that they may become 
a good people. I intend to design some 
things for them after a while, and to offer 
rewards for desisfninof amonpf themselves. 
We would like to have an outlet for this 
work. There is an almost endless variety. 
They are very quick at copying. The 
large basket which they use for carrying 
water makes a good waste-paper basket. 

I have not spoken of the language. It 
is very difficult, but the Sitka, Stickeen and 
Chilcat tribes speak the same. I have been 
studying some with Kittie, and have quite a 
number of words ; but oh, it is so hard to 
be tongue-tied when the heart is full ! 

We are eagerly expecting Dr. Jackson 



40 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

by Steamer California next week, after 
which we hope to have a party with us to 
Chilcat ; so that the next letter will tell 
you of a field which heretofore has been 
unoccupied by any mission. 

And now, with loving remembrances for 
all, and prayer for mutual blessings in this 
ofreat work, I am 

Truly your friend, 

Carrie M, VVillard, 

Jtdy 8. — Chilcat is some two hundred 
and twenty-five miles north of this place, 
through Chatham Straits. The steamer 
leaves in forty-eight hours, and we go 
with her as far as the mines. Dr. Shel- 
don Jackson is aboard, with carpenters 
and lumber for the building of the mis- 
sion house, which we hope to occupy be- 
fore long. . . . 

Chilcat Mission Manse, 

Haines, Alaska, August 23, 1881. 

My Dear Friends : In the beginning, a 
word to friends old and young who had 
part or parcel in the work of sending the 




CARVED IMl'LEMKNTS. 
I, 2. Chilcat rattles. 3. Wooden bowl. 4. Wooden pipe. 5. Wooden comb. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 43 

singing-books''' which arrived last evening 
by the man-of-war Wachusette. How we 
do thank you all for your prompt kind- 
ness ! We feel so strong — that is, your 
ready action in this matter has made us 
feel that we have your interest, your love 
and your prayers. And, as we said to 
each other when we opened the books 
last niorht, " Oh how o^ood it will seem to 
sinor from books that our home-friends 
have sent!" It seems good even to have 
them in the house. 

And now where shall I begin to tell you 
of all you wish to know of our work ? You 
know we expected to live in a tent till we 
could put up for ourselves a log house. 
Well, we should have done so had it not 
been for Dr. Sheldon Jackson's wise and 
unselfish zeal. Instead of waiting until 
some one proffered the means, he had 
faith in the loving interest of the Church at 
large to redeem the pledge he might make, 
and borrowed money on his own responsi- 
bility to erect building-s for the mission both 

* Donated by the society of the First Presbyterian Church of 
New Castle, Pennsylvania. 



44 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

here and at Hoonyah. Then, as the 
mere mechanical part of building was no 
simple problem so far from supplies, he 
brought his own experience to bear per- 
sonally upon it, and with his carpenters 
worked with his own hands on our pretty 
home here. He also brought us a bell — 
the eift of Mrs. C. H. Lanodon of Eliza- 
beth. New Jersey — which is the first Pres- 
byterian bell in Alaska ; and oh how sweet 
it sounds ! Just a perfect Presbyterian 
tone ! I can never give expression to 
the feelings it aroused when I first heard 
the waves of its solemn music in the soli- 
tude of Alaska. It is such a help to us ! 
Twice every Sabbath it brings the natives 
toofether to hear the o-ood news, and on 
every weekday but Saturday to a Chris- 
tian school. Dr. Jackson expects, on his 
return to the States, to solicit funds with 
which to pay for our building. 

And now as to our field and work here. 
I would like to give you a clear idea of it. 
You have heard of the British mission, un- 
der the care of Mr. Duncan, who has built 
up the model Christian Indian village of 




CHILCAT BASKETS AND HORN SPOON. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 47 

Met-lah-kat-lah, British Columbia. It is with 
something of the same plan in mind that 
we have located our mission on Portage 
Bay, where there is no permanent Indian 
house, and named it, after the secretary 
of the Woman's Executive Committee of 
Home Missions, " Haines." In our Chil- 
cat country there are four villages — three 
on Chilcat River, and one on the Chilcoot 
River. Each of these villages has its chief 
or chiefs and medicine-men, each its dis- 
tinct nobility, and each its own interests 
and jealousies of all the others. So, you 
see, had we built at any one of these 
places, we would in some measure come 
into antagonism with the others. We 
would, in their eyes, be allying ourselves 
with that particular people, and the others 
would be too proud to come under their 
hand. As it is. Portage Bay is a beautiful 
and safe harbor almost at the head of Chil- 
coot Inlet, the eastern arm of Lynn Chan- 
nel. The point of land here between the 
Chilcat River and the channel is the largest 
level tract, and the most fertile that we have 
seen anywhere in Alaska, and will afford 



48 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

ample farming-ground for the people. They 
all regard it as our place and so speak of 
it, and have promised in all the villages to 
come to " the minister's place " and build 
new houses where they can learn some- 
thing good. They have visited us, and 
one and all have expressed their joy at 
our arrival and their own intention to 
come and build here as soon as the win- 
ter stores of fish and berries are secured. 
Besides our own house here, there are 
buildings put up by the trading company, 
one occupied by them as a trading-post, 
the other purchased by the mission Board 
for school purposes. It is sixteen by thirty 
feet, of rough and knotty up-and-down 
boards, without chimneys, with four small 
windows, which cannot be opened, and one 
small door, and so frail that I fear it will 
scarcely stand one good winter storm, for 
it shakes with walking down the steps. 
The rafters above have been covered with 
cheese-cloth whitewashed, which flaps up 
and down like a sail every time the door 
is opened. There are so many holes in 
the shingles that on a sunshiny day this 



LIFE /yV ALASKA. 49 

whited canopy presents the appearance of 
the starry heavens, so flecked with sun- 
Hght. It will perhaps do for a year or 
two. 

The company's store is kept by their 
agent, George Dickinson, an American, 
whose wife is a Tsimpsean Indian woman 
who went to school to Mr. Duncan and 
was converted there. It was she who was 
working in a little school of their own with 
Clah in Fort Wrangell when Dr. Jackson 
and Mrs. McFarland went there, in 1877. 
After their arrival she acted as interpreter, 
until, just a year ago, her husband was sent 
here by the company, and she was commis- 
sioned by the Board to open a school for the 
Chilcats. She is a very good woman, I 
think, and has done well under the circum- 
stances. We shall soon need a teacher of 
larger scope. She is retained for the pres- 
ent as teacher under Mr. Willard, and in- 
terpreter. 

We opened the school on Monday, the 
8th of August, after Dr. Jackson left, with 
twenty-four pupils. Some days since we 
have had twenty-eight, but only four reg- 



50 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

ular ones. The others came in as they 
crossed the trail. There are a few bark 
booths, where they stop when they come 
to trade. But on every Sabbath canoe- 
loads come from the villages, and we have 
always had from forty-five to fifty in attend- 
ance. Monday five other canoes came in 
for church, having missed a day ; we taught 
them in our home. These are principally 
from Chilcoot and the lower villages. The 
others are too far away, and the people too 
busy, except in the uppermost, where they 
have been hindered by war. We have now 
their promises of peace, and that the people 
will come down soon. We are hoping to 
commence regular work by the first of Oc- 
tober. We have scarcely breathing-time 
now. We hope to visit all the villages 
before that time. 

We have already made the trip to Chil- 
coot, and I must tell you about it. The 
chief, Don-a-wok, of the lower village, has 
a large canoe, and one day he sent a mes- 
senger up to ask us to go out with him on 
the bay. We gladly consented, and at sun- 
set we pushed off with eight paddles. We 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 53 

had a delightful time, singing the while, at 
the chiefs request, some gospel hymns. 
He offered also the service of his boat to 
take us to Chilcoot ; so the next day I spent 
in preparing lunch for the party, and on the 
second morning, bright and early, we set 
sail and dipped paddle for Chilcoot, thirty- 
two souls comfortably seated, and still room 
for as many more. Putting into a little bay 
below the rapids, we left the boat and took 
the trail to the village, about a mile distant, 
which we reached about noon, and where 
we found the news of our coming had pre- 
ceded us lonor enough for the chiefs to have 
everything in readiness. We were con- 
ducted to the house of the head-chief, who 
is also a medicine-man, and were received 
with the greatest kindness. 

The house was exceedingly neat, the 
hard, burnished boards of the floor being 
white and clean. Sand was sprinkled over 
the fireplace, in the centre. We mounted 
the high steps outside to a low-arched door- 
way, passing through which we found our- 
selves on a little platform, from which two 
or three steps led down to a second plat- 



54 



LIFE IN- ALASKA. 



form, of greater breadth, extending around 
the entire building. Two or three feet from 
its edge was hung tent-cloth, curtaining in 
sleeping- and store-rooms on the two sides. 
The end of the room opposite the door, 
back of the fireplace, is the seat of honor. 




INTERIOR OK A CHII.CAT HOUSE. 
Front a Drawing by Mrs. Willard. 

In this case it consisted of chests of some 
kind covered with white muslin. Back of 
it, ranged on a platform, were the treas- 
ures in crockery, some half a dozen large 
washbowls and a neat platter. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 55 

As we entered, the chief sat in state on 
a small chest at one side of the fireplace, 
robed in a pair of blue pantaloons, a clean 
pink calico shirt, and falling in graceful folds 
about him a navy-blue blanket with a bor- 
der of handsome crimson cloth edged with 
a row of large pearl buttons. In his hair, 
which is quite crimped and curling about 
his higfh forehead and hano-s down his back 
like the tail of a horse (for they are not 
permitted ever to comb or to plait it), was 
arrano-ed the whole skin of a little white 
ermine. On the platform just above him 
sat his wife with a similar blanket about 
her and a great many silver bracelets on 
her arms. They showed us to our seats 
and gave expression in both smiles and 
words to their pleasure at our coming. 
Our entire party occupied the honorable 
end of the room, but we only had the 
seats. 

The old chief said he was so grlad that 
the minister had come at last ! He wished 
it might have been when he was boy ; now 
he was old, he was soon to go down to 
death, but he could go now more happily, 



56 LIFE liSf ALASKA. 

knowing that his people would now have 
liijht. He wished that the white man liked 
Indian's food ; then he would show us how 
they loved us. He had salmon-berries: 
would we eat some of those? We con- 
sented, and a servant brought the wash- 
bowls before the chief's wife, who with her 
hands filled up the bowls with the beauti- 
ful berries. The first was borne to us, set 
down on the floor before us, the next to 
Don-a-wok and Mrs. Dickinson, the oth- 
ers severally to groups of Indians in our 
party seated on the floor. We took up our 
bowls, and after grace began to eat with 
our fingers. By this time a great many 
of the people had gathered in. Mr. Wil- 
lard spoke to them for half an hour, after 
which, with singing and prayer, we took 
our departure. 

We then looked about the village, the 
houses of which are ranored along- the bluff 
and about the rapids. Running out from 
the walk in front of the dwellings are trel- 
lises for drying salmon. Great piles had al- 
ready been put away, yet more were drying. 
Below these, nearer the water, they were 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 57 

making fish-oil in their wooden canoes. 
At first, when I saw the boihng mass of fish, 
I wondered how they kept the canoe from 
burnino;. Then I remembered that the fire 
was not under the canoe, but under a great 
altar-Hke mound of stones, which, beine 
made red hot, were dropped into the canoe 
of fish. Out in the water were the inge- 
nious salmon- traps, where they take such 
immense quantities of this fine fish as they 
come up the river at this season of the 
year to spawn. Then, after a look at the 
beautiful lake, of which the river is the out- 
let, we, Mr. Willard and myself, with our 
interpreter, took the chiefs canoe, and, with 
two Indians to pole, we "shot" the rapids, 
seated one before the other in the bottom 
of the narrow boat, a hand on either side 
to steady us. I sat with my back to the 
head of the canoe, and saw the dangers only 
to be thankful that we had escaped them, 
while Mrs. Dickinson, turned the other way 
and seeing always the rock we were to split 
upon, kept uttering little cries of alarm ; but 
it was only for a few minutes, and we reached 
the landing-place. We had a good dinner 



58 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

on a beautiful beach, then took the paddles 
for home, singing most of the way, our bod- 
ies full of weariness, but our hearts full of 
peace. Soon after nightfall we found our- 
selves at our own little home again. 

But my letter is already too long, although 
I have not told you half that I wished ; and 
I must say " Farewell," with the prayer that 
your little society may continue to grow in 
interest and influence. . . . 

Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, August 27, 1881. 

Rev. Sheldon Jackson, D. D. — 

Dear Friend and Brother: I cannot 
refrain from dropping you a note of thanks, 
although words are too feeble to express 
our appreciation of what you have done in 
our behalf; in God's hands, you have done 
everything for us. 

In the first place, you gained for us our 
hearts' desire — the appointment to preach 
elad tidines to the Chilcats. You advised 
and encouraged us by the way. We left 
home with the expectation of living in a 
tent until we could by our own labor put 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 59 

up a log house. This exposure your lov- 
ing zeal and wise energy has prevented by 
taking upon your own shoulders a burden 
which, I trust, will soon be removed by an 
interested people at home — the financial 
burden, I mean, for you have borne so 
much more than that in the planning and 
erection of the buildino- which has gfiven 
us such a comfortable home in this far- 
away land. 

Your coming with us, too, and introdu- 
cing us to the very chiefs to whom you first 
had promised a teacher years ago, has, I am 
sure, been most advantageous to the be- 
ginning of our work here, and your coun- 
sel and advice most helpful and comfort- 
inof to us. 

That God may bless you more and more 
abundantly in your labors of love is the 
prayer with thanksgiving of your grateful 
sister in Christ, Carrie M. Willard. 

Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, August 24, 1881. 

Oh what a precious budget this big ship 
(U. S. S. Wachusette) has brought us ! — 



60 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

books, papers and letters comforting and 
helpful. We have so much enjoyed them 
all. . . . 

I often realize the meaning of the Script- 
ure "And a little child shall lead them," for 
truly our baby is a large element in the 
Chilcat mission force. For instance: The 
first day after our arrival here the children 
flocked in to see us. I had Baby on my 
lap, washing and combing her hair. The 
little Indians first shyly showed their black- 
and-red-painted faces at a little crack of the 
door after having taken a survey of the in- 
side premises through a knot-hole. Baby 
smiled at them with me, holding her wee 
thumb and first finger closely pinched to- 
gether with a kiss. I had Kittie tell them 
that she was kissing them, and so Baby 
won their first smile ; and they crept by 
slow degrees close up to us, watching the 
washing-and-combing process with open- 
mouthed interes!:. 

After they had become thoroughly ab- 
sorbeci and I had put on Baby her pretty 
white apron, I had Kittie tell them that this 
was my little baby, that she (Kittie) was my 



LIFE IX ALASKA. 6 1 

big girl, and that they all were my children. 
Just as I kept my little baby I wanted all 
my children kept — nice and clean. Had 
they ever seen a comb like that ? No, they 
never had ; so, after grouping them as they 
belonged — in families — I gave to each group 
a eood fine comb. You should have seen 
their faces ! Such a study as they were ! 
So full of wonder and of pleasure ! For 
a moment they stood perfectly still, then 
with one accord ran out of the door and 
away. 

In the course of fifteen minutes they 
began to reappear by twos and threes with 
faces ruddy and resplendent — the paint had 
been so hastily and so vigorously removed — 
and the hair, which had for the first time been 
brought into contact with a comb, standinp- 
on end as with utter astonishment. Again 
were their faces a study — an expression of 
a newly-awakened self-respect and a certain 
pride which held its own while it sought 
approval in my eyes as they ranged them- 
selves before me with happy dropped eye- 
lids. Of course I gave expression to my 
deliMit, and had them all sit down on the 



62 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

floor beside me while I told them of Jesus 
and taught them that sweet little hymn, 

" Oh, I am so glad 
That our Father in heaven," etc. 

Thus the work began. From that day 
to this I have never seen the faces of those 
children painted, and day after day they reg- 
ularly, of their own accord, presented them- 
selves to show me that they had combed 
their hair. 

I have been so interested, too, in the 
effect of Baby's sweet face and winning 
ways on strangers who have come to us 
from the more distant villaofes. I have 
seen them enter with questioning, distrust- 
ful and suspicious faces, and in a very few 
minutes melt into a perfectly restful enjoy- 
ment of the situation and go away with 
frank expression of their friendship and of 
pleasure at our coming. One old woman 
from the upper village had been waiting 
about the door outside, I know not how 
long, until I left the room for a moment; 
then, slipping in, she sat down on the floor 
beside Baby and placed before her a basket 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 63 

of luscious berries. There she sat when I 
came out, not daring to raise her head, but 
smiHng- softly to herself. Going up, I knelt 
down beside her and took her hand, telline 
her in strong Kling-get that I was glad to 
see her. She slowly looked up, and there 
was such a o-lad litrht in her face as she 
took my hand in both hers and, patting it 
softly, said something to me which Kittie 
interpreted as " My child, my child." Then 
she told me that she had never seen a white 
woman before, and she felt afraid to come 
to see the minister's wife, but she wanted 
so much to come that she came with a pres- 
ent to the dear little baby. Now she was 
afraid no more ; she saw a friend's face. 

So I might go on telling you of Baby's 
work here, but you want to hear of some- 
thing else, and time is so short for so much 
to be done. 

We had a letter from Dr. Jackson by this 
vessel saying that his mail had brought him 
the good news that a lady in Ohio had 
ofiven one thousand dollars for our build- 
ing here. Thus the Lord is providing. 

And now you will be anxious to hear 



64 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

of peace prospects for Chilcat. I think 
that I may say they are favorable. As I 
told you in my last, the head-chiet^ Shat-e- 
ritch, was quite ill, and sent for and re- 
ceived of us medicines which seemed to do 
him much CTood. On last Sabbath after- 
noon he came over the trail while we were 
holdingr services ; afterward he came into 
our home. He looked about very suspi- 
ciously and seemed ill at ease. We showed 
him our house and its appointments ; then 
I had him sit at the table and take supper 
with us. The beans, or something, seemed 
to find the way to his heart ; and then his 
heart came to his lips, and he told us that 
he had been told of bad things we said of 
him. We explained all satisfactorily, and 
he went away apparently in the best hu- 
mor and with the kindest feeling, asking 
me to take his daughter for my own and 
train her up to be a good and wise woman. 
This last I declined to answer affirmatively 
as yet. He gave us word that there was 
no actual fighting when he left ; that most 
of the people were anxious to have it set- 
tled, so that they could come down here to 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 65 

school ; that he had a long time prevented 
their fighting and they had promised to set- 
tle after the officer of the Jamestown came, 
but the day after the missionary left the 
"Murderer" (as he had long been called 
by the people) shot his own friend — one 
of the nobility, leaving only four — and that 
made the hearts of all the people sick, so 
that they had no strength and he wanted to 
say nothing to them. He had nothing to 
do with the fighting, only tried to prevent it, 
and didn't like the man-of-war to come and 
talk so much with him about it. He want- 
ed them to come and deal with those who 
fought and caused the fight. We explained 
to him that it was because he was for peace, 
and was a wiser man than the fighters, that 
the officers wished to speak to him. He left 
for Chilcoot to buy oil for winter, return- 
ing yesterday, when we had another call 
from him. 

In the mean time, the Wachusette steamed 
along and cast anchor in our harbor. At 
first the Indians seemed frightened and 
suspicious. We rang a salute with our 
mission bell. The officers came ashore 



66 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

and to our house ; then it grieved my heart 
to see the changed faces of our poor peo- 
ple. So ignorant and so fearful, how their 
countenances were changed toward me ! 
I looked in vain for the warm, bright wel- 
coming smile as I passed among them : 
they were suspicious of us, and averted 
their faces. But by degrees they were 
again inspired with confidence in the offi- 
cers and in us. We assured the people 
that they were come as friends to all who 
would do right. The captain invited them 
on board ship, and by and by flocks of 
canoes from the villages visited it, and all 
became friends. 

Captain Edward P. Lull had a conversa- 
tion with Shat-e-ritch and sent for other 
counselors, who have not yet arrived. If 
they come in time for a talk to-night, the 
vessel will leave early in the morning. 

While Shat-e-ritch was in Chilcoot, and 
before the steamer came, a party arrived 
from the upper Chilcat village with the 
word that peace was made, the satisfaction 
had been paid, and all were glad but one 
desperate man, who would never be satis- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 67 

fied. We cannot tell as yet just how true 
this report may be. 

On the other hand, that Sitka affair is 
not considered as settled by the friends of 
the man who was injured and committed 
suicide in the prison. You remember I 
told you about it before ; he had killed the 
man who took his wife, and because of the 
overwhelming disgrace took his own life. 
He was of the higher class of the lower 
village people, and the chief, Don-a-wok, 
is going to Sitka for satisfaction. He 
bought a large Hydah canoe to make the 
trip in. He also intends to bring back 
wdth him as wife the daughter of the Hoo- 
chinoo chief. She is quite young, we hear, 
while he is a great, stalwart, dignified, and 
withal a fine-looking, old man, of perhaps 
fifty. His nephew, Cla-not, who will suc- 
ceed him as chief, is one of those who ac- 
companied Dr. Jackson on his trip to Fort 
Simpson, and to whom was first promised 
a missionary. He also was about the first 
to meet, recognize and welcome Dr. Jack- 
son here. 

These men are both interested in the 



68 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

Sitka affair, as the man was a relative of 
theirs. They both are very friendly to us. 
We have had many talks, particularly with 
the older man, and last Sabbath Mr. Wil- 
lard preached to him on " If ye forgive not 
men their trespasses, neither," etc. I had 
a long talk with him the other day. He 
has been very much interested, as have all 
the people, in our house. I asked him if 
he were going to bring his new wife up 
here. Yes, he said ; he was going to sit 
down by the minister. Then I said, "I sup- 
pose you will build a new house like the 
white man's ?" Yes, if he could get the 
lumber, he wanted to have an " upstairs." 
He wanted Dr. Jackson to help him. I 
told him Mr. Willard would help him all he 
could in telling about the lumber and what 
he needed, and then I would show his wife 
how to arrange it nicely inside. I asked 
him if he were not going to marry his wife 
the Christian way, and explained to him 
how that was and what it meant : one only 
and as long as life lasts ; that he must take 
care of his wife as his own life, and she the 
same for him ; no more two — always one. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 69 

He seemed delighted, and said he would 
bring her and be married the Christian 
way. I promised him that it should be 
in our pretty sitting-room. His first wife 
has been dead a long time, and he seems 
to be honest and upright. 

Cla-not is a splendid man physically and 
of good ability. He is the only man, how- 
ever, whom I know that has three wives ; 
one who is much older than himself he 
married for her wisdom. They are in the 
lower village. The only thing in the way 
of his comino; at once to build here is that 
an uncle died leaving a house partly built, 
and it is a great point of honor among 
them that the next male relative should 
take up the work — with all the giving of 
gifts and feasting which it entails — and 
finish the house, that it may stand as a 
monument to the memory of the deceased ; 
so Cla-not has this to do. Then, he says, 
he will come over here. 

At present, besides our buildings and 
the trade-store shed, there are but a few 
bark booths and one open log hut — merely 
stopping-places for the Indians when they 



70 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

come to trade — but these are crowded, and 
many more people will be here as soon as 
the winter's food is cured. I have much to 
tell you of their manner of doing this. You 
wouldn't want any of it. 

There is somethinof so delio-htful and 
comfortable in the coming of our Ameri- 
can men-of-war on errands of peace! It 
is certainly a part of the fulfillment of 
prophecy. The captain, Edward P. Lull, 
of this vessel, who our weak faith feared 
would not be a worthy successor of Cap- 
tain Glass, is a Christian gentleman, and, 
I think, desirous of aiding the good work. 
We like all the officers very much. The 
ship-surgeon. Dr. Parker, is from Carlisle, 
Pennsylvania; we at once claimed kinship 
with him. 

Will you please send me those Evangel- 
ists and Sunday-school papers, as you are 
through with them ? The latter are prized 
very highly by the people. We like to give 
them one on Sunday ; and if you have any 
little things which would help us in making 
Christmas a day to be remembered by the 
Indians, we would be glati to have them 



LIFE IN ALASKA. J I 

sent by mail. Perhaps we would be able 
to get them if sent soon. We shall need 
some clothing, too — some shoes and stock- 
ings ; for some of the people are poor, 
and Mrs. Dickinson says they came to 
school in the snow last winter in their 
bare feet with only an old blanket around 
them. , . . 

Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, September 12, 1881. 

Rev. Sheldon Jackson, D. D. : So much 
has occurred since we last wrote you that 
I despair of giving you a very full account. 
Don-a-wok, the chief, returned to his vil- 
lage last evenino; — so messeno^ers tell us 
— but his heart is so sad that he could not 
come to us himself to-day ; for, although 
his errand to Sitka was a prosperous one, 
the Sitka Indians paying many blankets and 
Chinese trunks for the life of his friend, and 
while he had taken many more with him from 
home, yet he had not enough to satisfy the 
demand made as an honorable grift for his 
promised wife, and he was forced to come 
back without her. We are all sorry, for we 



72 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

had hoped much as a result of his example 
in marrying- and making a home before this 
people. But it must be best somehow. It 
is God's work, and he will do and allow to 
be done what will further his own glory : 
that is a comfort. 

We have made our anticipated tour of 
the villages, starting out on Thursday, the 
1st of September, and returning home on 
Tuesday of the next week. We at first 
intended to come back on Saturday, and 
took with us only provision for that time. 
In addition, we carried our blankets, etc. 
We found that at high tide a canoe could 
be brought quite inland, within a mile of 
our house, by a little winding stream, 
which after a really labyrinthine course 
at length found its way to the great river 
Chilcat ; so I felt brave, in my short flan- 
nel dress, to undertake the tramp, espe- 
cially as there were no Indians at hand 
to carry us. 

Billy Dickinson had taken his little canoe 
across the trail early in the morning, and 
at noon, after an early lunch, we took up 
the march. Baby going on before with Billy, 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 73 

Sam and Mr, Willard, each with his pack, 
Kittie widi a htde bundle, Mrs, Dickinson s 
two Httle Indians with her lucj^eaee, and she 
and I bringing- only our own selves. It was 
a beautiful day, cool and bright, and such a 
walk I never had before. The scenery was 
of almost bewildering beauty. 

I longed to stop only to enjoy it the 
more, yet new features constantly urged 
us forward. Now the scene was in the 
tropics, great-leaved plants and ferns, both 
delicate and monstrous, fruit, flowers and 
vines on every side, alders dipping their 
graceful boughs into still and shady waters, 
while the great dark pines all festooned 
with moss, like the real Florida moss, over- 
shadowed the whole. Again, the trail led 
into beautiful pasture-land with clumps of 
trees so like the home fruit trees that it 
made my heart jump. We crossed Mr. 
Willard's hay-field where the sweet-smell- 
ing hay stood in cocks awaiting the com- 
pletion of the goat-house we are building 
of loors. 

At last we struck the stream, just wide 
enough at first for the canoe, which was a 



74 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

frail, shaky little thing. Billy took the 
prow and paddle ; Mrs. Dickinson the 
stern, and steered. I sat flat in the bot- 
tom of the middle of the canoe, and I 
had work enouorh before we reached the 
villaee. There was a strono- wind and 
the water was very rough, as here the 
river becomes quite wide — a mile and a 
half. -The big waves shipped us plenty of 
sea, and, as we sometimes struck them, our 
crazy little boat yawed quite perceptibly. 
It kept me busy dipping to keep her afloat. 
I was thankful that Baby was safe with her 
father, as the others had all kept the trail. 

After a tedious voyage we reached the 
lower village at about five o'clock p. m., wet 
to the skin and chilled. The trailers had 
arrived some time before us, and, although 
Don-a-wok was away, his servant-girl had 
opened and swept out his house for us ; 
freshly-washed gravel lay on the hearth, 
and she was just lighting a fire, I soon 
exchanged my wet clothes for good dry 
ones I had brought with me, then set about 
getting our supper. Presents of fish and 
berries began to come in, and we had an 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 75 

abundant meal. Then came a good litUe 
feadier-bed for me, and die people began 
to flock in, eager to see and hear. We had 
about sixty-five Indians present, and gave 
them a service. 

We slept on the floor about the great 
central fire, with the stars shining down on 
us through the many openings in the roof; 
for it is a rickety old house and small — not 
at all like the chief's in Chilcoot. A per- 
fect gale blew before morning, and it 
seemed as though the timbers, which are 
tied together by thongs and bark, would 
certainly blow in upon us ; but I judge 
they have stood many a stronger storm. 
We hired two large canoes next day to 
take us to the upper villages. 

This canoeing is an experience, I assure 
you. The canoe is hewn from a single 
tree, so quite narrow for its length. It is 
admirably adapted to these waters, but 
very unsteady. We all sit single file, flat 
in the bottom of the boat. 

The first part of the way we went brave- 
ly with full sails, afterward very laboriously, 
the Indians poling at times, and again wad- 



y6 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

ine and draofcrino- the canoe. The water 
is very shallow in places and the current 
fearful. 

We reached the first village about seven 
o'clock in the evening, hungry, cold and 
tired, not knowing what quarters we might 
find for the night ; but the Lord provided. 
The people were very busy with their sal- 
mon, and their houses were very crowded 
with it and the strangers who had come up 
the river to fish, but there was a fine large 
house in course of erection. It had the 
boards or planks fastened together on the 
four sides, the roof as yet consisting of the 
rafters ; the turf, all fresh and green, formed 
the floor ; windows we had no need of, and 
there was a place for a door. It was cor- 
dially opened to us, and we soon had a 
most eenerous fire blazino- in the midst. 

The owner of the house was so pleased 
to have us occupy his new house that he 
sent in wash-bowls full of berries and fish- 
oil, also fresh salmon, and we again par- 
took of a bountiful supper. But cooking 
by such a fire is slow work, particularly 
when subject to so many interruptions as 



LIFE IN ALASKA. yj 

the traveling missionary has ; so, after it 
and the many greetings and little speeches, 
we were too weary to do more than sing 
them a hymn and bid them come to an 
early-morning meeting. Our Indians reared 
their sails on their poles against the side 
of the buildinor, these forming a shed for 
our blankets, and there we found refresh- 
ing sleep, not disturbed by the odors of an 
old Indian house. 

Next morning, after an early breakfast 
of salmon roasted on a stick, bread, but- 
ter and coffee, we had a sunrise meeting 
of about seventy-five Indians, who gave 
almost breathless attention. Then, bid- 
ding them good-bye, receiving their hearty 
thanks with expressions of joy at our com- 
ing, and after. uro-inof them ao-ain to come 
to our place and build where they could 
have school and regular service, we once 
more took our canoe, with borrowed poles 
of stronger make than our own — for the 
rapids lay before us — and we were soon 
on our way to Clok-won, the uppermost 
village, not knowing what awaited us, for 
we had learned on the way that the trou- 



78 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

ble, which had been smoothed over in the 
presence of the man-of-war, had broken 
out again, and that the people were in the 
midst of war. 

We felt the greater necessity of hasten- 
ing forward, trusting that the Lord, who 
brought us hither, would orive us the ears 
and hearts of the people ; and we did not 
trust in vain. Oh how thankful we have 
been that we did thus o-o on ! We found 
the people in trouble, and we brought them 
comfort ; we found them warring, and we 
brought them peace. We found one poor 
man on the brink of murder and suicide, 
and he assured us that our coming had 
saved him from this double sin ; that his 
heart was broken and he was in the deep 
dark, but the minister's coming had brought 
him hope and light. 

We found Clok-won by far the largest 
Indian village we have seen in Alaska, as 
well as the richest and most substantially 
built, many of the houses being elegant in 
their way. The carvings in many of them 
are worth thousands of blankets. Three 
of the laro-est of these houses belong to 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 79 

Shat-e-rltch, and the largest and costliest 
one he has given to the mission ; in it we 
held our service on Sunday. The next in 
value to it (the chief's treasure-house) was 
made our lodging-place. We found many 
of the houses turned into forts, and barri- 
cades in plenty. 

There are four distinct tribal families — 
the Wolves and Whales, which are nearly 
connected and of low caste ; the Crows 
and Cinnamon Bears, of high caste and 
connected in like manner by intermar- 
riaofes. It is not lawful for those of the 
same family to intermarry, though a man 
may have a woman and her daughter both 
to wife. 

The war has been between the Whales, of 
low caste, and the Crows, of high; hence the 
much aggravated trouble, one Crow being 
worth many Whales. And, of all the peo- 
ple, the Whales have most of our pity and 
sympathy. They are weak in numbers and 
comparatively poor in purse. They are 
afraid to move out of their houses, and 
are literally prisoners in their own homes, 
almost every one of which has been made 



80 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

desolate. Signs of mourning are on every 
hand ; die beauuful hair of the women is 
cut close to the head and their faces are 
blackened ; the carvings covered with red 
matting ; the box and moccasins of their 
dead placed on a shelf over the door from 
which they went out never to return. 

We held a separate meeting for them in 
the afternoon, as they could not come to 
the other, in the same house where the 
whole trouble began ; it was riddled with 
bullet-holes. The very spots were pointed 
out to us where this one, that one and an- 
other had been shot down. 

First, the eldest son murdered a Crow ; 
he ran away to the Stick country. The 
Crows retaliated. Then the second son 
made some show of revenge ; they de- 
manded his life, and his wife, who was a 
Crow, defended and protected him. The 
poor old mother's heart was broken with 
sorrow and shame. She called on her son 
to give himself up, but in vain. She even 
followed the first son to the interior on the 
same quest. Not succeeding, she returned, 
and, dressing themselves up in their best, 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 8 1 

she and her dauorhter went out and de- 
manded to be shot, that the honor of their 
family might be maintained ; so they per- 
ished at the hands of the Crows. But they 
two were not sufficient to satisfy the claim, 
and at last the son came to the door and 
gave himself up ; but his wife still clung to 
him. They have a terror of disfigurement 
even in death, and she begged that he be 
allowed to descend to the foot of the steps, 
that his body might not fall and be bruised. 
The Crows suspected her of treachery in 
this move, as she had so long shielded 
him, and they shot her down where she 
stood, although she was a Crow. I believe 
her husband was afterward killed. 

When we entered the house, I think I 
never met a more desolate sio^ht. Dirt, 
cobwebs, ashes and implements of warfare 
lay all about ; a few half-dead coals lay on 
the unkept hearth, and the only remaining 
member of the household sat on the floor 
beside it, his head on his knees and an old 
hat drawn over it — a young man, but one 
who had evidently lost the hope and pow- 
er of youth. There, into that house, we 



82 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

brought the gospel of light and peace. 
Bless God, as we did, for such a mes- 
sage, 

A way was opened for us to a man in 
one of the forts upon whose death or re- 
covery hangs the settlement of the mat- 
ter between the tribes. We found him 
very sick, and ministered to him as best 
we could, as to both temporal and spirit- 
ual things, 

A Crow family had lost a son by death 
after a short illness, and they had just re- 
turned from the burning of the body when 
we arrived. We brought them word of 
that world to them so full of mystery, and 
of the life to come. 

The Crows are powerful, rich, arrogant 
and exceedingly overbearing — at least, 
some of them are, especially when they 
have hoochinoo. As a poor Wolf told 
us, they robbed and ruined their homes 
and murdered their families, then taunted 
them with beinof "killed like doo-s and 
never making them pay for it," thus try- 
ing to exasperate them into completing 
their own ruin. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 83 

Mr. Willard preached for an hour and 
a half, showing them how they were hv- 
ing in antagonism to the great God, and 
must perish if they did not surrender. 
He told them, too, of the love of God, and 
how he not only demanded no satisfaction 
for the death of his Son, but freely gave 
him to save his enemies. 

Shat-e-ritch is of higher caste than any 
other chief of the Chilcats, being a Cinna- 
mon Bear and very rich. He occupies a 
neutral position in this trouble, except as 
he is connected with the Crows and tries 
to make peace, though his power does not 
extend over any but his own tribe. He 
received us first into his own house, giv- 
ing us the place of honor. He soon in- 
quired as to how long we expected to stay. 
Informino- him that we had intended to eo 
back that afternoon (for the current is so 
swift that we come down in two or three 
hours, when it requires one and sometimes 
two days to go up), we were told that the 
people's hearts would be too sick if we did 
not stay over Sunday with them ; we then 
told him that we had no food for that time, 



84 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

or we would gladly stay. He replied that 
Mrs. Dickinson (our interpreter) could 
speak for Indian or white man. She must 
command his house — ask for whatever we 
needed. His wife brought out wheat-flour 
and baking-powder, and made bread. They 
sent us in everything that we could require, 
and gave us new blankets and pillows for 
bedding, fixing us up in the treasure-house. 
Several other Indians brought and sent 
in berries and salmon at different times. 
They always expect a full equivalent for 
every gift they make ; still, they give free- 
ly, and it is pleasant to receive. 

On Sabbath, Shat-e-ritch called the head- 
men of his people together in his house to 
a feast for the special purpose of making 
Baby and me Cinnamon Bears and settling 
on the names they should give us. I knew 
nothing about it, until toward evening they 
brought me my name, and the presents be- 
gan to pour in from all my relatives, old 
gray-haired men and women calling me 
"aunt" and calling Baby "aunt." They 
had eiven me the hicrhest name ever held 
by even Cinnamon Bears — viz., " Nauk-y- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 85 

stih " — and Baby's is next in honor, being 
"Kling-get Sawye K-Cotz-e." 

Generations ago they first saw copper ; 
it came in bits on the wrecks of some 
vessels. The people prized it more than 
gold ; it was the greatest of wonders to 
them. No man could g-et enougrh skins 
or blankets to pay for more than the least 
little pieces of it. Thousands of blankets 
were required to pay for them, and their 
greatest ambition was to get these bits 
tocrether in a carvino- of the Cinnamon 
Bear's head, which would bind them strong- 
ly together and make one whole of the 
many mites. This is the meaning of my 
name, the Cinnamon Bear's head holding 
together and making one priceless treas- 
ure of these bits of copper. 

I wish you could have seen them as they 
told me of this, ofathered in that ereat dark 
house with its hundreds of carved vessels 
and boxes of blankets and oil, and every 
other Indian treasure, their strong, earnest, 
kindly features lighted up from within by 
the love they bore me, and from without 
by the great crackling, blazing fire in the 



86 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

middle of the room. They sat about it, 
and I stood before them touched by this 
demonstration. When they were through, 
I answered that my heart was full ; surely 
they were my brothers. They had told me 
the meaning of my name, and now I, the 
first white woman that had ever borne it, 
wished to tell them the new and even more 
precious meaning which I wished it to bear 
henceforth. All the Chilcat people were 
to me most priceless bits of copper. Their 
bitterness had kept them apart ; the bits 
were owned by enemies. Now love was 
brought, enough to buy them all. They 
had made me the ereat Cinnamon Bear's 
head to bind all these precious pieces into 
one. Now there should be no more pieces, 
no more enemies, but all one, till at last 
the " Nauk-y-stih," with all the bits of cop- 
per which made it such a treasure, should 
be borne to the great Chief above. I had 
dear brothers at home ; while I was there 
it was my thought always how I could do 
them good. So now, to my Indian brothers, 
came the same thought, and because they 
had shown their love for me I wanted to 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 8/ 

ask them, as brothers, to help me do them 
the o^reatest g"ood I could think of now: 
that was to put away that bad drink — all 
bad drinks ; they knew what it had done 
for their village and for their homes. 

God only knows how much of the seed 
found a fruitful soil ; but oh, we have his 
promises, and we want to keep them close 
to our hearts. 

We came away on Monday loaded with 
presents and the thanks of all the people. 
They even said, "We believe your God 
sent you here at that very hour to save us 
from war and death ; the people would not 
fight when they heard the minister was 
coming, and now they have heard better." 

We stopped a few moments, without 
leavinof our canoes, at the middle villaee. 
Here my new relatives had heard of my 
great name, and came out bearing me 
still other presents of di-ied-berry cake 
and dried salmon. 

It soon began to rain and blow. The 
waves tossed our canoe and the spray 
dashed over us, wetting the entire crew. 
Many times it seemed almost impossible 



88 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

to reach the shore that day ; but we did, 
and in safety. 

It was too stormy to attempt crossing 
the bar that day ; so we took up our quar- 
ters in Don-a-wok's house again, where we 
were sheltered from much of the wind, even 
though the rain cHd come throuorh. We had 
another dehghtful Httle meeting there, and 
next day reached home, where we found 
all things safely kept for us. 

We were tired, but none of us sick ; all 
kept safe and well through storm and sea 
and war, and God gave us great peace. 
We did not take the least cold — not even 
Baby, who enjoyed the trip, in her way, 
as much as any of us. And I assure you 
we did enjoy it all ; even danger was 
robbed of its terror. . . . 

September 13. — Don-a-wok has been here 
to-day. He seemed sad, but we see great 
reason for rejoicing even in what seems to 
be a trial to him, for he is standing by his 
principles like a man. It seems that the 
bride which was to have been was willing 
to come with him, and all her friends were 
satisfied with the exception of one sister, 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 89 

who demanded a slave from Don-a-wok. 
Now, he had owned slaves, but some time 
aeo he, and Shat-e-ritch too, made them all 
free and paid them ; so he refused to give 
a slave and lost his wife. 

This trip to Sitka seems to have done 
all the Indians good. They saw the bright 
school there, old and young learning to 
read, and they tell us that it made them 
ashamed, Mr. Willard assured them that 
if they would only now come together and 
set to work they could have a school supe- 
rior to that of Sitka, for they are a stronger 
people. They seem anxious to do so. 

Don-a-wok is a chief of the Crows, but 
of the two lower villages ; they have noth- 
ing to do with the fighting in the upper- 
most village. Neither do the Crows of 
Chilcoot, who are also very friendly to us, 
and very peaceable, Don-a-wok claims 
Mr. Willard as his brother, and is going 
to name him soon. 

I forgot to tell you the meaning of Baby's 
name : it is " a mighty city',' where all the 
people are exempt from sickness, sorrow 
and poverty — all are great. 



90 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

While we were away we discovered some 
needs ; one was a large hand-bell for call- 
ing die people togedier. In lieu of it, Mr. 
Willard and I made a tour of the village, 
taking it house by house, when we were 
ready to have them come to meeting. Oh 
how we wished for our flag ! 

Another need for our school, the Indian 
room also, is maps of the United States 
and of the world, also a o-lobe, and an organ 
for our church and school. The people are 
very fond of music, and learn quickly the 
tunes we have taught them word by word 
and note by note, but you would hardly 
recognize our old familiar hymns ; their 
voices are so strong and they sing with 
such a will that my voice makes no im- 
pression at all. I cannot stem such a flood, 
but an instrument would help this difficulty. 
Our piano, of course, is for our house; it 
cannot be moved back and forth. Another 
thine we must have : a mission canoe. We 
have the largest mission field in Alaska, 
and in many respects the most important. 
We must go by canoes to reach the greater 
number of our people. Go we must, and 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 9I 

it costs US from five to ten dollars every 
trip. Mr. Willard expects to go up this 
winter by skates and snow-shoes, but as 
soon as the river becomes navigable aeain 
in the spring we expect to make the rounds 
once a month. We already see good of 
our first trip, and feel the importance of 
this itinerating work. It must be done be- 
fore we get the people in any great num- 
bers to come to us. In time we trust that 
this will become the great centre, but it will 
be a long time, for the people have good 
houses and are loth to leave them. Some, 
indeed, are noiu ready to come, but they 
are a small minority, and there is so much 
difficulty as yet about getting ready lumber. 
It requires an enormous amount of labor to 
build as they do. 

September 26. — Still no steamer. We 
have been in daily expectation of her ar- 
rival for three weeks, but oh so thankful 
that our Sabbaths were not broken in upon 
by her coming ! We are having beautiful 
weather again. 

We have such good news from the up- 
per village ! After we left they began to 



92 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

make peace in earnest. The last cutting- 
affray was promptly paid for in blankets ; 
the wounded man, upon whose fate so 
much hung in getting a settlement, is now 
rapidly recovering. 

The Crows took into their houses the 
young man in whose house we held ser- 
vice for the Whales, treating him to the 
very best of everything they possessed, 
having him both eat and sleep with them ; 
and the Whales took into their homes, in 
the same way, the great Crow terror, " The 
Murderer." This is their way of express- 
ing perfect satisfaction, confidence and 
peace, and now the feasting and dancing 
are going on. The lower villages have 
joined them in this ; and if only molasses 
(for the distillation of ardent spirits) can 
be kept from them, we hope for a new era. 
It will indeed be a new and blessed era 
when the eovernment makes it a crime 
for men to sell death. They have promised, 
many of them, to come down to us here 
when the feasting is over. 

We hope to be able to begin regular in- 
door work and study by the ist of October. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 93 

We are exceedingly anxious to get the lan- 
guage, there is so much we long to say 
which we cannot get others to say for us. 
Mr. Dickinson is a very, very kind friend 
to us. His wife says she has told him to 
go on and leave her here a while until we 
learn to speak a little, but he will not con- 
sent to do that, and Kittie is to go back to 
the Home by the first safe opportunity ; so 
that, in case they do go, we will be not only 
the only whites, but the only persons in all 
the Chilcat country who speak English. 
We would not care if only we could 
make these people understand our mes- 
sage ; but it is God's work : he will not 
suffer it to lanofuish. . . . 

To the Presbyteriait Sabbath- School in East 
Sprmgjieldy New York. 

Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, October 24, 1881. 

My Dear Friends : Three eventful 
months have passed since our former let- 
ter was written to you from Sitka, when 
we knew but little more of our present 
home and work than did you, so far away. 



94 I-IPE Ijy ALASA'A. 

Now we are domiciled, and almost as 
much at home as though we had been 
born here, but oh how thankful that ours 
was a more favored lot ! 

We spoke of Dr. Sheldon Jackson hav- 
ing joined us at Sitka by the July steamer 
from Portland, Oregon. May God bless 
that good man, the true friend of mis- 
sionaries and of Alaska ! 

In Fort Wranorell and Sitka the mission- 
aries are well housed in buildincrs erected 
and occupied by the Russian government 
during their rule, but here in the Chilcat 
country no white men had ever lived ex- 
cept the trader who preceded us a few 
months, the husband of our interpreter, 
Mrs. Dickinson. When we left home, it 
was with a knowledge of this fact, and 
with the expectation of living in tents un- 
til we could get out logs and put up such 
a house as we could. Dr. Jackson made 
this unnecessary by giving us the needed 
help, and I have no doubt he saved the 
life of one missionary. 

In two weeks after our arrival here — 
which was on the i8th of July — our friends 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 95 

Drs. Jackson and Corlies, with the three 
carpenters, left us for Boyd, where they 
were to put up a school- and dwelling- 
house for Mr. and Mrs. Styles, who have 
since taken charge of that mission among 
the Hoonyahs. Mrs. Styles is the younger 
dauehter of Mr. Austin, of the Sitka mis- 
sion, and was married on the 15th of Au- 
gust last. Our house was, of course, very 
incomplete, but the frame was up and the 
roof on, the floor laid and some of the 
doors huncr ; so we came rio-ht into it and 
went on with the work, carpentering, cabi- 
net-making (for we brought no furniture 
with us save one chair, a little stand and 
the stove), garden-grubbing, tree-felling, 
and stable-building from logs, quarters for 
our goats (a pair of which we brought with 
us from Sitka to supply our baby with milk), 
cutting- erass for the o-oats' winter food 
with case- and pocket-knives (for a scythe 
was overlooked in our outfit), receiving 
the Indians who came in to see the won- 
derful things the minister had brought, 
cutting garments for them and trying to 
help their sick, preaching, etc., almost with- 



9^ LIFE IN ALASKA. 

out end, as it seems to us still, so busy are 
we, and so much work yet to do before we 
get down to even our appropriate labor. 
With all this, we have made a tour of our 
villages — four in number; and this brings 
me back to the main subject. 

Before leavino- Sitka we intended to lo- 
cate in the upper village, thirty miles up 
the Chilcat River, as it is the larcjest of the 
four ; but, finding that we could not get 
the lumber up — for the river was low at 
that time — we decided upon this as the 
best point the district afforded, although 
four and a half miles from the nearest vil- 
lage. Except a few bark huts which the 
Indians put up last winter, the only build- 
ing besides our own is the trading-post. 
If we could have spoken the language, we 
would have gone to the upper village and 
opened a school — for this winter, at least ; 
but we have a year's hard work before us 
in getting fixed up and studying the lan- 
guage. It seems in many respects the 
better plan to try to build a missionary 
village here something after the plan of 
Met-lah-kat-lah, in the British Possessions. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 97 

In the first place, we secure those who are 
most in earnest to hear and. learn ; leav- 
ing their old places and coming to us will 
in itself be an uprooting for good. 

In this way, too, we keep our work 
largely free from the petty jealousies of 
tribe and village chiefs, which, though they 
be petty, are very strong. Had we gone 
to any one of the villages, it would in the 
eyes of all have been allying ourselves 
with the chief of that place, and quite 
enough to deter the proud people from 
joining us, lest they be counted as his sub- 
jects. As it is, this is the minister's place, 
as they call it, and all are free to come 
without compromising tribal relations. 

The lower village, as the nearest of the 
three on Chilcat River is called, is coming 
over in a body to see us. They have been 
very busy getting ready to come. Their 
food is mostly gathered in the month of 
September, and consists principally of dried 
salmon, berries and salmon-oil. They have 
some potatoes, too, which had to be dug 
and housed. Now all is completed, we 
hear, and they will soon be with us. The 

7 



98 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

bulk of their provisions will be left until 
heavy snowfall, when the people travel with 
much greater ease on snow-shoes. Some 
from each of the other villages have prom- 
ised to come soon. 

It is too late in the season now for them 
to do much in the way of building ; we must 
be content to have homes a matter of 
growth. Perhaps some day there will be 
a mission steamer in Alaskan waters which 
will convey lumber from the mission mill to 
mission villages for prices which will enable 
the Indians to build comfortable houses. 

We have word to-day that Don-a-wok 
has taken a wife, or rather a child who is 
to be his wife in the course of time. Such 
queer customs they have ! When a couple 
are married, they adopt a boy and a girl 
to train up in their own ways, to take their 
place in the event of death. If the husband 
dies first, the boy becomes husband to the 
widow ; if the wife is taken first, the girl 
takes her place. Thus we often see a 
young boy with a decrepit wife, and old 
men in their dotage sometimes have mere 
child-wives. In case there is no such sue- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. lOI 

cessor provided for, the friends of the de- 
ceased partner claim the right to appoint 
one from their own number. This was 
the whole trouble, as we believe, in Don-a- 
wok's case. His failure to secure the wife 
he wanted from a stranger-tribe was, no 
doubt, the result of intrigue on the part 
of his connexions here, who were deter- 
mined to make him take his former wife's 
nieces. They wished him to take two of 
them, but he resolutely refused, saying that 
the minister did not like such marriages. 
He said it was wrong and he would not 
do it, but he yielded so far as to take one 
— a little girl about thirteen years old. 
She is called his wife, and he has taken 
her into his house to care for her, but 
they will probably not be married for two 
or three years. He is anxious to have her 
CTo to school. 

None of the maps of Alaska that we 
have seen give any idea of the Chilcat 
country. Linn Channel is shown, and we 
are located at its head, where, indenting 
the western shore, is our little Portage Bay. 
Just to the north is the mouth of Chilcoot 



I02 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

River, which rises in a beautiful lake of 
the same name about ten miles distant, 
and near which is the Chilcoot villasfe. 
Chilcat River is somethino- over a mile to 
the westward, and is a mile and a half wide. 
It joins the channel about seven miles 
south ; so that, while by trail or portage it 
is but little more than four miles to the 
lower Chilcat village, it is more than fifteen 
miles by water. The little peninsula formed 
by this large river and the channel is the 
largest level tract which we have seen in 
Alaska, and is quite good soil. We hope in 
time to make it a mission farm, and to in- 
duce the Indians to raise more wholesome 
food than they now use. There is good 
ground enough to produce here bread and 
beef for the entire present population of 
the "thirty-mile strip." 

While our immediate surroundings are 
almost flat, the country generally is moun- 
tainous and picturesque in the extreme. 
When we came, in July, the whole penin- 
sula was one mass of flowers and vines. 
In places the vegetation was almost tropi- 
cal for richness ; one's steps sank into the 



1 




A CHILCAT MAN. 

From a Draiving by 3Irs, IVi/iard. 

The buckskin suit is trimmed with fur and quills. The narrow snow-shoe 
is used in hunting and running, and the broad one in packing. 



I.IFR Ih' ALASKA. IO5 

wealth of mosses, and this though the sun 
rose and set in ice, for the mountains which 
guard us on every hand are crowned with 
" everlasting snow," some fifteen glaciers 
being" visible from our windows. 

Our first snow-storm this fall came on 
the 2ist of September. On the 26th of 
that month ice formed in our barrel of 
rain-water one-fourth of an inch in thick- 
ness. So, you see, our climate here dif- 
fers very much from that of Sitka or Wran- 
gell. We are almost beyond the infiuence 
of the Japan current. 

Our school was opened on the 8th of 
August, but, owinof to the distance from 
the villages and the fall-work of the peo- 
ple, the attendance has been very small so 
far — often not more than two or three ; but 
these have been taught. One little fellow, 
whom we call Willis, is particularly bright 
and faithful. He brings dried salmon 
enough to do him through the week, and 
sleeps in Mrs. Dickinson's wood-house. 
Getting in the salmon is quite a festival 
with the Indians, and at the close of the 
season they have much feasting and dan- 



I06 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

cing. When Willis went over to the village 
for his week's provision, the people tried 
to persuade him to stay and enjoy the fun 
with his brothers, sisters and friends ; but 
his answer, so firmly given, was, " Why 
should I stay here, where I learn only evil ? 
I am going back to the minister's place, 
where I can hear good ;" and the little 
fellow has resolutely adhered to his pur- 
pose. He is only ten or eleven years old, 
can read easy English lessons and recites 
all the tract primer catechism. One other 
little boy — Mark, son of one of the suc- 
ceeding chiefs — has learned the letters 
also ; we have promised them each a book 
when we can get them. We had hoped 
to be able to give them some sort of a 
pleasant Christmas ; I still hope we shall 
make it a pleasant and profitable day, al- 
though we have no presents for them. 

Mr. Willard has preached twice every 
Sabbath, besides our preaching- tour to the 
villages and the occasions when we caug-ht 
a company through the week, and always 
to attentive, often to eager, listeners. 

We are seeing already a few triumphs 



LIFE IN ALASKA. lO/ 

over witchcraft and the power of the 
medicine-men, and have had some pre- 
cious bits of encouragement. First a man 
came in with much eagerness and earnest- 
ness, saying that he had started off in his 
canoe to hunt mountain-sheep ; when he 
had gone some distance, the Httle boat 
turned over and he lost his gun. He 
wanted us to pray that he might recover 
it again. Mr. Willard explained to him 
the nature of prayer and miracle, and 
that he must not expect God to cause the 
water to throw up the weapon, but that he 
would ask him to give him strength and 
wisdom to find it. The man said he did 
not expect a miracle, but he wanted God's 
help, that when the tide was out and the 
water low he might see it and get it up. 
Soon after, a young man came to ask 
the minister to pray that God would turn 
the heart of the woman he loved so that 
she would marry him, for he loved her so 
that if she did not marry him he did not 
know what he would do with himself, and 
he thought God would turn her heart right 
that day. We told him that we would ask 



I08 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

God to do SO if he saw diat it would be 
best, but we could not tell if it would be so. 
I explained to him that my baby might cry 
for the pretty coals in the stove, but I, be- 
ing wisfer than she, would not give harm 
to the child I loved even thou""h she did 
cry for it, so God might see that what he 
wished for so much would not make him 
happy at all. 

Afterward a poor man from Chilcoot 
came to us in grreat distress : his little son 
was dying, and he wanted us to ask God 
to spare his life and make him well. He 
wanted us also to oive him some food and 
clothing to put out for the use of the spirit 
should he die. They believe in another 
life and another world, but that between 
this world and that lies a great distance ; 
much land, then a great green water of 
which no one can drink. When a good 
spirit at last reaches the shore of this 
water, the inhabitants of the good world 
come with canoe and bear him over, while 
the very wicked are doomed never to cross. 
When a person dies, if the body is burned, 
the spirit passes with comfortable warmth 



LIFE IN ALASKA. I09 

through the intervening space, and that it 
may have every comfort on the long journey 
they put out or burn with the body both 
food and clothing, A person who dies by 
drowning is for ever cold and unhappy. 

After explaining to the poor father the 
true way and showing him the error of his 
beliefs, we knelt down with him and the 
Indians he had brought with him and 
prayed. Some days after, he came again ; 
and I never saw a greater change in any 
one's appearance in so short a time. He 
bounded into the house like a boy, so full 
of life that it seemed impossible to walk, 
while his face was full of joy. His first 
words were, " It's all true about your God ; 
my child is better." Then he told us of 
how, when he went from here that day, 
the people were all crying and mourning 
for the child's death. The Indian doctors 
had said that he would not o-et well — could 
not live ; and they all thought him dead 
already, he had so long lain in that stupor ; 
but he — oh how he prayed to our God to 
spare that child ! At last a woman came 
in and said the child was not dead, and by 



I lO LIFE IN ALASKA. 

and by, after a long- time, the boy came to 
himself, looked about and spoke. And 
now he was getting well, and just as soon 
as he was well enough they were coming 
to the minister's place to live, so that they 
could go to school and learn more. He 
said that they believed no more in the In- 
dian doctor ; they had paid him ten blank- 
ets (thirty dollars) for nothing — a sore re- 
flection to an Indian, I assure you, espe- 
cially a Chilcat ; for they are shrewd — very 
shrewd — at a bargain . 

Let me give you an instance of their 
shrewdness. This afternoon a man came 
in with three ducks and laid them down 
with an innocent air, saying he bought 
them for a present, then, as is their cus- 
tom, sat down and waited for his pay-pres- 
ent. Mr. Willard gave him the exact price 
of the fowls, and the man, upon learning 
how much it was, smiled and took his de- 
parture. When I came to unfeather the 
birds, I found but one fit to use. The fel- 
low knew that a present we could not re- 
fuse and he would be sure of his pay, 
whereas, if he had brought them to sell, 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1 1 1 

we would surely have discovered the qual- 
ity of the goods and bade him begone. It 
is a custom we have seemed obliged to ob- 
serve so far. 

We need your prayers, dear friends, 
more than you can imagine or than we 
can tell you, for wisdom, love, patience 
and strength, for the good work here, and 
for the Holy Spirit's presence and blessing. 
Carrie M. Willard. 

Chilcat Mission Manse, 

Haines, Alaska, October 28, 1881. 

My Dear Friends : We have given up 
the steamer until next spring, but we know 
that He who careth for the sparrows knows 
and cares for all our needs. We shall not 
want. . . . 

October 30. — What do you think I have 
to write to-night ? Didn't I say we had the 
Lord's promise and it would not fail ? Just 
when I didn't know what to put in my baby's 
mouth we looked out and beheld the steamer 
Favorite entering our little bay. This was 
about eleven o'clock this morning. 

The steamer did not bring our piano — 



112 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

too heavy, the officers said — so it is in Sit- 
ka. But oh ! oh ! oh ! the splendid mail 
they brought and did give us to-day — 
" three bags full ; one for the master, one 
for the dame," etc. We have been read- 
ing and reading till we are so full of every 
feeling that it is very difficult to get any 
of it into action. And the yeast came, 
for which I am thankful. I did not bring 
any with me ; it was not dry enough, and 
was to be sent by mail afterward. We 
have gotten along very well, but now we 
will have some good bread, and I think 
there will be some butter in the freight. 
The orinorham came, and such a treasure 
in books ! Exactly the kind we had wished 
for, but did not hope to get. Oh, so many 
thanks to everybody ! If our friends at 
home only knew how welcome are their 
letters and their tokens of loving thought- 
fulness when received here in our loneli- 
ness, they would feel rewarded for send- 
inp- them to us. . . . 

The Indians make their fish-oil in their 
canoes in the following manner: The ca- 
noes are half buried in the earth and filled 



LIFE IN ALASKA. II3 

with fish and water. Alongside, stones are 
built up like an altar, under which a roar- 
ing fire is kept until they become red hot, 
when they are dropped into the canoe. 
The fish are boiled in this way to a jelly, 
then allowed to stand. Much of the oil 
rises, and is skimmed off; the rest is rolled 
in matting, placed on a frame over the canoe 
and pressed by the bare feet of the women. 

This oil is a very highly- esteemed article 
of food among the Indians. They use it 
for dipping their dried salmon into, and 
also preserve a certain red berry in it. An 
Indian is happy with a large horn spoon 
and a washbowl of berries in oil before 
him. How they slip down without chok- 
ing him is wonderful. His spoon holds a 
dipperful, and with a peculiar grace he 
raises it to his lips, and in an instant the 
contents have disappeared, scarcely dis- 
turbinof a muscle. 

Monday, Nove7nber 1. — We had about sev- 
enty Indians at service yesterday. Thurs- 
day Mr. Willard had taken one of the med- 
icine-men and a chief to his study, where 
we keep the sewing-machine, and explained 



114 L IFE IN A LA SKA . 

its workings to them. We have been com- 
ing into closer and closer contact with them, 
and gradually but surely approaching con- 
flict. We knew it would come sooner or 
later — just as soon as they felt our power 
gaining the ascendency over theirs with 
the people. Just what sort of a conflict 
it miorht be we could not forecast. The 
Lord is ordering it all, and there is no 
ground for fear. We rejoice and praise 
God it has come so soon, for it certainly 
shows that the Spirit is working. 

I have spoken before of the sick being 
brouorht to us. There has been a oreat 
deal of sickness among the people this 
fall. Some have died, but, thanks be to 
God ! not one of the many we have seen 
and tended. 

During the past week our hands and 
hearts have been more than full, the peo- 
ple coming in from all the villages with 
their sick and dying in canoes, saying that 
they had heard of the true God and no 
longer believed in the Indian doctors, 
others saying they had given the med- 
icine-men everything they had and were 



LIFE IN ALASKA. II5 

SO poor that no blanket remained to cover 
the dying- child. 

Friday one poor woman, among others, 
brought to us her baby of three years. It 
had been sick for a year and was a hving 
skeleton. I never felt so sick at heart over 
any human being as over that little burn- 
ing-eyed creature who, in only a little cal- 
ico shirt on a chilling, wet day, moaning 
at every breath and literally dying, was car- 
ried to us. The mother told us the sad story 
— how they had given everything, dishes, 
blankets and all ; how the medicine-men 
had sung and rattled and charmed, eating 
fire, etc., but all to no purpose. With tears 
she said, " Oh, help me, help me ! My chil- 
dren are all I have." I worked with the 
little one all afternoon, and it seemed bet- 
ter, and is still so. 

There were many others, but I must tell 
you of only one. Yesterday morning. Sab- 
bath, among the group of patients waiting 
in the kitchen was a woman who begged 
me to come and see her little boy, who was 
dying. After disposing of the rest and get- 
ting the house righted, I left Baby with papa 



Il6 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

(who afterward took her to church with 
him, where I joined them) and followed the 
woman, taking with me what I had in the 
house that might be necessary. But I had 
nothing for proper food for the child. We 
had tried to buy oatmeal at the store when 
ours failed, but they would not sell it. I 
found the child in what seemed to me to be 
a dying condition — unable to move, with 
cold limbs and hot head, the only action 
apparent in the little body being the spas 
modic jumping of the throat and upper part 
of the chest and the rolling of the eyes. I 
had them give me blankets and put on 
water to heat ; then got brandy and went 
to work. I found that the child had taken 
no food for ten days, and immediately I de- 
spatched a messenger to the store saying 
that they must sell or give me some oat- 
meal and condensed milk. I would take 
no refusal ; they must do it. I soon had 
the pleasure of feeding the famished child 
(who had already given a sensible look) 
some milk, and in a little while some gruel. 
Seeing him in a better condition, I left him 
and went to church with my sunbonnet and 



LIFE FN ALASKA. WJ 

big" apron on and led the singing. After put- 
ting Baby to sleep, and with dinner over, I 
lay down for half an hour and went back, find- 
ing him no better, if not worse, than he was 
in the morninof. The doctors had been in 
talking to them, saying all manner of things 
— that all their dreams said the child would 
die, etc. ; that if he got well they would cut 
off their hair and do nothing more ; that 
they would believe in God if he showed 
himself so strong as to heal that boy. 
You may be sure with this double motive 
I worked and prayed, and at bedtime, when 
I left him again, he was much better. After 
taking the medicine I had left him he rested, 
slept through much of the night, and this 
morning is perhaps a little better, but still 
very sick indeed. I do not know how it is 
going. I can only do my best and trust 
that the Lord who reigns will order all 
things for his own glory. I will believe 
that, however it is, it will somehow be for 
his praise, and in that I shall be more than 
satisfied. 

Yesterday the doctor's wife followed me 
into the house of the sick child, and sat 



Il8 LIFR IN ALASKA. 

near the door constantly making sneering 
remarks ; and this morning her husband 
came out as I passed his house and com- 
menced talking at a tremendous rate, ges- 
ticulating and speaking angrily till he got 
so close to me as to shake his fist within two 
inches of my face. I am not afraid of him, 
nor of all of them ; as long as there are 
sick whom I can benefit I shall do my duty 
without a thought of the poor old doctors, 
except to hope and pray that they may be 
convinced and converted. May that day 
come soon ! One of the doctors is here 
now to get me to do something for him. 
I have been having a talk with him. 

Our freio^ht has been eotten into the 
house in good order from the boat this 
morning. 

But now, with very, very much love to 
all, I must close. The boat leaves us 
soon. Carrie M. Willard. 



Chilcat Mission Manse, 

Haines, Alaska, November 30, 1881. 

My Dear Friends : You can scarcely re- 
alize how those few words of yours in re- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. I I9 

gard to the increase of zeal for missions 
among- the people at home strengthened 
and helped us. We have very much to 
encourage us, and cause for rejoicing with 
thanksgiving ; yet there are times when it 
is very hard to keep only these things be- 
fore us. Again and again we are obliged 
to force upon ourselves the realization of 
the fact that it is not for man — ungrate- 
ful, treacherous man — that we labor, but for 
Him who did and suffered all things for us 
all ; and to know that Christians at home 
are working and praying for the coming 
of his kingdom into all these dark hearts 
makes it easier to go on. Such sympa- 
thy is very sweet. 

There has been a great deal of sickness 
among our people this fall — a terrible erup- 
tive disease much like small-pox, though 
not fatal. A number of deaths occurred, 
however, before the people began to come 
to us to build ; and since they came, bring- 
inof their sick with them in canoes four 
deaths have taken place, but we have the 
infinite joy of believing that all are saved 
and happy souls to-day. They were two 



I20 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

little babes, a young woman and a dear lit- 
tle boy — the one I wrote you of in my last 
letter as being ill. I was among the sick 
almost day and night for a while, particu- 
larly with this little boy, who died, and with 
a woman, who has recovered ; and after it 
became impossible for me to go to the vil- 
laofe, the children, such as could be carried, 
were brought to the house. For one of 
the dear little babies who had died first I 
had done a great deal, and I hoped it would 
get well ; but oh, it is such unequal warfare, 
this battlingf with death in such " strong 
houses " as these people have, wind, snow 
or smoke constantly present. 

I cannot tell you what I felt when these 
children died ; that their lives should be 
spared seemed almost essential to the 
success of our work here. You know how 
the case stood, after Mr. Willard's preach- 
ing against their witchcraft and evil super- 
stitions on Sunday, and then bringing party 
after party — medicine-men, chiefs and peo- 
ple — into our house and showing them the 
machinery of sewing-machine and clock, 
telline them of the more intricate machin- 



LFFR IN ALASKA. 121 

ery of the human body, asking them if 
they thought witches were in those wheels 
because they accomplished such wonderful 
things or if they failed to accomplish them, 
showing them the absurdity of their believ- 
ing that because the wonderful body got 
out of order in their ignorant hands some 
one had bewitched it. If some dirt got 
into the fine wheels of a watch, did they 
think that all the medicine-men in Chilcat 
could charm it into running-order without 
removing that obstruction ? How much 
less power could they have over the hu- 
man body ! After this, I say, many of them 
believed no more in the Indian doctors' 
ways, and, not knowing what else to do, 
brought their sick to us. Of course the doc- 
tors were enraged at the loss of their gains, 
and predicted that our patients would die. 
We worked with an almost agonizing zeal, 
and felt as though they must not die. Af- 
ter many days and sad nights of anxious 
working, watching and praying, when it 
seemed as thouorh a feather's weig-ht miofht 
turn the balance, it was turned: the child 
began to recover rapidly for some time, re- 



122 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

gaining- appetite and strength. Then I was 
not able to go any more, and they tore out 
an end of the unfinished house where the 
sick boy lay, to enlarge it, and the next 
thing I heard was that he was worse, then 
dead. I felt stunned ; I could not believe 
it. I had felt so sure that he would get 
well. I could not say a word ; it seemed 
as though everything that had been accom- 
plished would now be lost ; and yet I could 
not a moment doubt God's sovereignty or 
his wisdom or his love. I must just be still, 
knowing that he was God ; and in that dark 
hour, when it seemed that all was lost, I 
learned, I think, the lesson he meant to 
teach — that to him nothing human is neces- 
sary. 

We had heard before that in case the 
boy died his parents would hide it from 
us, for they meant to burn the body. We 
expected that the medicine-men would, to 
the best of their ability, inflame the people 
against us, but, instead of all this, the pa- 
rents came to us in the burden of. their 
grief, telling us of the happy departure of 
the little spirit and that they were not near- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 123 

ly SO "sick in their hearts," because they 
were sure that he had gone to be with 
Jesus. Not one word of reproach, even, 
where we had expected savage charges 
and demands for "satisfaction"! They 
told us of his talk, his prayers and his low, 
weak singing of the hymns he loved, dying 
with the sweet lines on his lips. 

When they were bringing him from the 
lower village in a canoe, he said to them, 

" Tell me just as soon as you see the 
place." 

When they turned into, the bay, they told 
him. 

" Raise me up," he said. 

They raised him up, and he looked long 
and earnestly toward the shore, his eyes 
fixed on the mission buildings. 

" Yes," said he, " there it is — the minis- 
ter's house ; now we are going to pray 
there." 

Day after day he plead to be carried to 
the schoolhouse, but he was not fit to be 
moved. More especially on Sabbath, when 
the bell rang for church, he would beg them 
to take him to hear about God ; but, as he 



124 I'IFF. IN ALASKA. 

could not go himself, he would pray and 
sino-. We often had little meetinofs in the 
house for him. 

One day, when the bell rang for church, 
his mother, overcome by her feelings for 
the child, began to cry. He asked her 
the cause. 

" Oh, that you can't go with the other 
children." 

Tenderly he told her that she must not 
cry any more for him this way ; it was not 
riorht. 

Because he was. a Christian, they wanted 
to have him buried like a Christian ; so on 
Sabbath the little body was borne to the 
schoolhouse which he had so long-ed to 

a 

enter. Mr. Willard preached on the res- 
urrection of the body and the joy of those 
who die in the Lord. The people seemed 
profoundly impressed, and all things were 
done decently and in order. 

It is their custom, after the death of 
friends, utterly to neglect their own per- 
sons, to eat nothing for days, to paint their 
faces black, to cut their hair close, and to 
wear the dirtiest clothing they possess ; but 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1 25 

this mother came to the funeral with clean 
face and dress, and only wept like a Chris- 
tian, 

Many of the people say that they do not 
wish to burn any more of their dead ; they 
believe in the Christian way. We did not 
insist on this, and, indeed, had said very lit- 
tle about it; but we prefer to have them 
bury the bodies of their dead, because they 
cannot do so without disrecjardino- their old 
superstitions, for their old belief is that the 
spirit whose body is not burned suffers an 
eternity of cold. 

This was not our first funeral ; the first 
was when the little baby died. The mother 
came to me broken-hearted. She had four 
children, and this was the first death. Her 
heart seemed to have been won through what 
we had tried to do for the little one, and she 
wanted to know what she ousfht to do. 
The old people talked terribly about 
burying, and the grandmother gave her 
no peace at all, saying the child should 
be burned ; but the mother wanted to do 
as we said. I sat down and talked with 
her, explaining to her what the Bible tells 



126 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

US of life and death. She then said that 
she wanted to have it buried, but her friends 
did not, and she could not tell them all ; 
she wished the minister would talk to them. 
So they were called together, and Mr. Wil- 
lard gave them a long plain talk ; and they 
said at last that for their " mother Nauk-y- 
stih's sake " they would bury the child if 
we would show them how. Mr. Willard 
made a little coffin, and we covered it with 
white. I made a little shroud for the child, 
and had them bring it to me to dress and 
put in the box. It was already prepared 
as they prepare the corpse — the little face 
all covered with vermilion, mittens on the 
hands, the knees drawn up and tied against 
the body. In the sight of the people I 
washed the paint from its face, smoothed 
the hair and put on the little dress. It was 
snowing when they laid the little one away, 
and it seemed as though the parents' hearts 
would break. It was the first breaking of 
their old-time customs made dear through 
generations. 

The old grandmother had not given up, 
and she made them suffer almost every- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 12/ 

thing at home with her reviHngs, Several 
times it seemed as though they must yet 
take up the body and burn it, but God sent 
them at such times to us, and gave us, for 
them, the comfort and strengthening which 
they needed; and to-day we feel more hope- 
ful of their salvation than of that of any 
other family of our people. 

Mr. Willard hopes to form a class for 
the special instruction of those who think 
they really desire to be Christians. We 
ask the special and earnest prayers of our 
dear friends at home for God's blessing- in 
this. We think there are a few who are 
trying to do the right as far as they know 
it, but they are utter babes in knowl- 
edge. . . . Carrie M. Willard. 

Chilcat Mission Manse, 

Haines, Alaska, December 13, 1881. 

My Dear Friends : I did not tell you in 
my last letter what had been done by the 
man-of-war. This time the Wachusette was 
commanded by Captain Henry Glass, He 
called for the head-men to come to him ; 
only two of the higher chiefs he invited into 



128 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

the cabin. He gave them nothing but a 
sound and forcible exposition of the law: 
I. That he would punish any one who 
made, sold or introduced any intoxicating 
drink, or anything to make it of. 2. That 
if they had any fighting, if any one was 
killed, he would be here immediately ; the 
murderer would be seized, taken below in 
irons and tried ; if proved guilty, he would 
be hanged as any white man would be. 
3. If they harmed the whites who came 
among them, he would storm their village 
and blockade their river. He then showed 
them what the big guns were made of by 
firing quite a number of balls and bomb- 
shells, which shook our house, although 
sent in an opposite direction ; and the big 
braves didn't laugh any more. 

Another little child has been called away 
from our village — one who had been sick 
for a year or more — and this morning its 
body was burned ; this was the second cre- 
mation since our coming. 

While we were at breakfast, Esther, the 
mother of the little boy of whom I wrote 
you as having been buried from the church. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1 29 

came in looking very sad and saying that 
her heart was sick ; that ever since her Ht- 
tle boy had been put in the ground the In- 
dians had troubled her so that she could 
neither eat nor sleep, taunting her in every 
way, saying, 

"Ah! you are the minister's friends. 
Oh yes ! you are white people. Why do 
you live here ? Why do you eat Indian 
food ? Yes, a minister you are." 

Then they had tried in every way to in- 
duce her to have the body disinterred and 
burned. This morning, before they started 
to the burning, the people crowded into her 
house and besieged her with new force. At 
last Esther's mother (and this is so remark- 
able, because, as a rule, the old people are 
obstinate and tied to their old superstitions, 
and therefore very hard to bring to accept 
new ways) said to them, 

" No, we will not do it. As for me, I 
have only just begun to learn about God, 
but I want to believe in him with all my 
heart. I want to go to him and to my 
grandchild when I die. And I want to tell 
you all now that when I die I don't want 
9 



130 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

you to burn my body ; I want to be 
buried." 

Then Esther made a similar declaration, 
and Chief Don-a-wok — Esther's uncle — 
told them that he wanted them all to re- 
member, too, that his body was not to be 
burned when he died ; he wanted the min- 
ister to attend to it all and bury him. 

After this the people left the house, but 
Esther's heart was so sick that she felt as 
if she would die. Her mother told her to 
put on her blanket and go up to the min- 
ister's ; so she came, though she hadn't 
wanted to come for a long time because 
the people talked so. She fears that she 
is not QToinor to live longr, and she wanted 
to ask us to be sure to bury her and take 
care of her little boy, the only child left her. 
She could not bear to think of havino- him 
grow up among the Indians if she had to 
leave him. I had a lono^ comfortino- talk 
with her and kept her here all day, engag- 
inor her on a little sewino- which I g-ave her 
for herself, and to-night she went home a 
quite cheerful woman. It seemed to en- 
courage her when I told her what martyrs 



LIFE IN ALASKA. I3I 

had suffered for Christ's sake, and what he 
promises to all who endure persecution 
from love to him. 

Mr. Willard witnessed the doctors' dance 
one nio-ht some time aoo. It is a sort of 
exorcism. Almost all sickness with the 
Indians is regarded as the result of witch- 
craft. The medicine-man is called, and 
for ten blankets (their medium of ex- 
change, and worth from three to four dol- 
lars apiece) he will scatter the evil spirits. 
If they are obstinate and the person dies, 
he accuses some one of having bewitched 
the dead man, and for certain other blank- 
ets will tell by divination who the witch is. 
The latter is then taken, and, with his feet 
tied together and his hands tied behind his 
back, is shut up with the corpse and either 
burned with it or left to starve to death, un- 
less there are relatives rich enough to pay 
for the exorcism of the evil spirit. Since 
we have been here this has never gone so 
far as a pointing out of the witch, and it 
is not likely to go farther now, so long as 
the man-of-war supports us, as at pres- 
ent. 



132 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

You have read a description in Dr. Jack- 
son's Alaska of the medicine-men and how 
they are educated. They all (so far as I 
have observed, and there are about ten in 
the Chilcat tribe) have a most peculiar, cun- 
ning, and yet weird, expression. They are 
hollow-eyed, but the pupil protrudes and 
rolls, and there is a keenness, a furtiveness, 
about them that is most unpleasant. Since 
the death of the little boy referred to in a 
former letter, these servants of Satan have 
been doing their master's work with a will, 
but the event which they thus take advan- 
tage of has not been without orood results. 
Had God restored to health and life every 
one whom we tried to help, it would have 
been almost impossible for this ignorant 
people to give all the glory to God ; we 
could hardly have convinced them that we 
had no miraculous gift. More and more 
they would have pressed upon us and have 
professed faith for the sake of this material 
life. We foresaw something of this dan- 
ger then, this materializing of the spiritual, 
but not as clearly as the Lord has now 
brought us to see it. There are not nearly 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1 33 

SO many who call upon God, but those who 
do seem to come up to a higher plane than 
before ; they see something beyond this 
life ; so in all our trials we know that God 
reiens and it must be best. 

In speaking of these medicine-men, how- 
ever, I must not omit one sign of hope for 
which we have to be thankful. A little 
daughter (four or five years of age) of 
him whom we consider the worst man 
among them was born with curly hair; so 
of course she was destined to the profes- 
sion, and her hair left uncut, uncombed, to 
become a matted, repulsive mass like her 
father's, while she was adorned with neck- 
lace of teeth and charms of green stone. 
I so well remember the first time I saw 
her. It was on a Sabbath, while Dr. Shel- 
don Jackson was here. She walked along 
from church just before us ; her beautiful 
little child-face in the mass of unkempt hair 
struck me with a sudden pity for the price- 
less soul-gem hidden in that neglected lit- 
tle body, and I exclaimed, 

" Oh how fearful that she should be 
destined to such a life !" 



134 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

Dr. Jackson quietly made answer, 

" Let us hope she may be converted 
before that." 

The words came with rebuke to my 
weak faith. 

Some weeks ao-o that child came to 
church neat and clean, and — will you be- 
lieve it? — that sacred matted mass of hair 
lay on her head in smooth braids ; so now 
she can never be a medicine-woman, but 
we pray that she may be a Christian 
woman. 

One of the Indian doctors told us the 
other day that if we would give him some 
new clothes he would cut off his hair. 

December I4. — The Chilcats are a supe- 
rior race to the plain- Indians, and are the 
strongest people, and this district the larg- 
est under the care of any missionary, in 
Alaska. It is not one village, as in the 
case of the other stations, but four with- 
in a radius of thirty miles. . . . We feel 
the urgent need of industries in which the 
people can engage. They are willing and 
anxious to work, but we have so little for 
them to do, and so little means with which 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 135 

to pay them. We hope fish-canneries may 
be estabhshed on our rivers ; these would 
furnish employment for a great many of 
them, and thus provide them with means 
of sustenance. 

We expect and dread the coming of mi- 
ners in the spring. Some prospectors took 
several hundreds of dollars' worth of gold 
down last fall, and we hear that many oth- 
ers are coming up. The mines at Juneau 
(the recently established post-offtce at Ta- 
koo) are something like seventy-five miles 
below us. About thirty thousand dollars' 
worth of gold-dust was taken from there 
last season, . . . 

There is good tillable land here, and we 
have perhaps an acre grubbed out where 
we hope to make a garden in the spring. 
We mean to try raising everything desir- 
able, if seeds and slips come in time. . . . 

December 28. — On last Friday evening a 
little rowboat arrived from Juneau with two 
naturalists from Berlin — Dr. Aurel and Dr. 
Arthur Krause — who intend to study here 
until spring, boarding at the trader's. The 
gentlemen brought a package of mail, which 



136 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

they offered with evident pleasure for our 
Christmas gift. It proved to be the Sitka 
mail for San Francisco, whither ours may 
have been sent by mistake ; so we had no 
letters, but we had a very pleasant Christ- 
mas, with many thoughts of the loved 
ones at home. I had work enough, you 
may be sure, in providing, from my brain, 
my wardrobe and my scrap-bag, presents 
for sixty-nine schoolboys and girls and wo- 
men. We graded them all by the number 
of days they had been in attendance, and 
had something for each one. I would like 
to tell all about the tree, but cannot now. 

The orentlemen brouo-ht some cotton- 
jeans for pants for the boys ; the little 
fellows come to school through the snow 
with nothing on but cotton shirts, the snow 
sometimes stained by their bleeding feet. 
The snow is waist-deep on the men, who 
have to travel on snow-shoes. Sabbath 
before last I went to meeting by a path 
walled with the crystal snow as high as my 
head. It has snowed much since, and lies 
piled up against our windows. . . . 

Carrie M. Willard. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1 37 

To the Sabbath-School of the Presbyterian 
Church of East Springfield, New York. 

Chilcat Mission Manse, 

Haines, Alaska, January 23 and 30, 18S2. 

Dear Friends: The close of our third 
quarter in Alaska finds us with not a few 
tokens of God's pleasure in our work. 
We are more and more enjoying it, and 
more and more its peculiarities and needs 
open up to us. 

You have asked us to tell you of these 
needs, and in this letter I will gladly do 
so, hoping that somewhere the Master 
may still have stewards holding talents which 
they long to put out to usury. There seems 
to us no place in the great world where a 
hiofher rate of interest could be derived for 
the Lord. 

Do you remember on what a long, long 
day our first letter was written you in June? 
Now we have had the other extreme — a 
night long enough for the veriest little 
sleepyhead, the sun rising near eleven 
o'clock A.M., and our lamps being lighted 
at three p. m. 

During most of the winter thus far the 



138 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

snow has been about four feet deep ; it is 
near six feet now, yet the people go about 
easily on snow-shoes, which are made of 
very light and gracefully-shaped wooden 
frames woven across with thongs, exactly 
as cane is woven into chairs at home, and 
which are kept in place on the foot by means 
of the strap which passes from across the 
toes back and around the ankles. 

On Friday evening of last week we were 
delighted by the arrival of a canoe from 
Juneau, which brought us a few precious 
letters written in October and November. 
The canoe that brouo-ht the letters was 
that of the parents of the little girl whom 
Chief Don-a-wok had been almost com- 
pelled to take for wife. It came bringing 
him presents, but some time ago the child 
had left his house and had Qrone to her 
aunt's, where she remained. We had 
a long talk with Don-a-wok before she 
left, showing him how wrong and how 
fruitful of evil such marriaofes are. He 
seemed to realize it, and said that it had 
not been his wish at all, that the child was 
very unhappy, crying continually, but that, 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1 39 

accordine to their customs, he could not 
send her away ; if her parents would take 
her back when they found how unhappy 
she was, he would be glad. However, 
she took the matter into her own hands 
and ran away. 

When her parents learned this on arriv- 
ing" here, they were greatly mortified and 
incensed against Don-a-wok. They came 
to us before emptying their vials of wrath 
on their son-in-law, and God gave us such 
success with them that they seemed to 
see it all in a new and true liMit, and p-ave 
up having a quarrel. I think they will take 
her back to Sitka and send her to school. 
We tried to prevail upon them to send her 
to the Home at Wrangell, but fear they 
will not. 

Mr. Willard returned a few days ago 
from a tour amongr the villaofes. Two 
weeks ago he started by canoe for Chil- 
coot, but, getting caught in the floating ice 
from the large glaciers on the way, in 
which he and the man with him worked 
for their lives for an hour or two, he was 
obliged to give up the journey; and, turning 



HO LIFE IN ALASKA. 

into the fishing-village of Te-nany, he came 
home the same evening. But on the Chil- 
cat River he was gone a little over a week, 
holding school in the upper villages. He 
went on snow-shoes and skates. In the 
mean time I stayed here at home with just 
my baby Carrie and the little Indian girl 
Kittie for company, holding daily court, 
and the service on Sabbath. It occurred 
to me that to home-friends it would seem 
a little startling if they knew that I sat 
night after night in a sense alone, the large 
windows of the sitting-room— without blinds 
— frequently revealing the dusky faces of 
those who wished to come in ; but then, as 
at all times here, there was a sweet and 
peculiar assurance of safety — no dread, no 
fear of evil. God is our keeper. 

The greatest burden which falls upon 
me in my husband's absence is the care 
of the people — the responsibility of decid- 
ing, alone, matters which might among 
white people be trivial enough ; but with 
this people, where there are so many com- 
plications of the family and tribal relations, 
together with ancient customs and super- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. I4I 

stitions, a very small matter often becomes 
very great In its consequences. We need 
more than man's wisdom ; and please let 
this be among your petitions to God for 
us — that he will give such wisdom as we 
need for his glory in this place. 

We were besieged, as usual, for medicine 
and comforts for the sick. An old woman 
died and was cremated, whereupon Cla-not, 
the young second chief here, called the peo- 
ple together for a general peacemaking. 
On the Sabbath evening before Mr. Wil- 
lard went away he had spoken to the peo- 
ple on peace and brotherly love. Four 
years ago (though on the occasion of 
preaching that sermon he knew nothing 
of this bit of history) an old woman was 
charged with having bewitched a young 
man. Her son was so ashamed that he 
killed his mother. Custom required peace- 
payment to be made for her murder to her 
brother, although it was he who accused 
her of witchcraft, but it had never been 
done; and the tribes were enemies in 
the same village, not entering each other's 
houses. When this death occurred, while 



142 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

my husband was away, Cla-not, as I said, 
called these tribes together and rehearsed 
this old story, then said, 

" You all know what the minister talked 
to us about last Sunday, and I have called 
you here to make that peace ; and we must 
make it to-night, for we don't know what 
to-night or to-morrow may bring" — so 
nearly the scriptural phrase, though I 
think it had not been used in the sermon 
at all. 

Well, they made peace, Cla-not himself 
paying the necessary blankets. 

I had this crood news to tell the mission- 
ary when he returned so weary that dark 
night from his long, hard tramp through 
wind and rain and knee-deep slush. And 
he had much to tell me of hard but joy- 
ful work, of the people's evident joy at his 
coming and of how kindly they had treated 
him ; of the acquisition, also, of several new 
Kling-get phrases, for he went without an 
interpreter. Four of the head-men and 
several others came down with him to 
trade. Old Shat-e-ritch, the head-chief, 
stayed with us ; we invited them all to 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1 43 

Stay over Sabbath, and they gladly con- 
sented. 

The night after they came down Cla-not's 
peace was broken : he had insulted a pow- 
erful man of his own tribe last fall, who in 
turn threatened to kill him, but afterward 
repented; and when Cla-not had inaugu- 
rated peacemaking this man, called Skoo- 
kum (" strong ") Jim, bought white man's 
food at the store and called Cla-not to a 
feast of peace at which he would pay 
blankets for his angry threat. Cla-not, 
who is naturally violent and headstrong, 
would not accept his overtures, whereupon 
Cla-not's life was again threatened, and war 
seemed imminent. To make matters worse 
and the trouble general, Cla-not quarreled 
with his wives (who are mother and daugh- 
ter), and they left his house. They are 
of the Sitka people, and if peace had not 
been restored before the arrival, on the 
second day after, of the Sitka chief and the 
parents of Don-a-wok's wife (who were of 
the same tribe as the unhappy wives of 
Cla-not, while Don-a-wok is his uncle), I 
fear we should not have been able to stay 



144 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

the flood ; the compHcations were many 
and of such a character as would have in- 
volved the whole Chilcat country and the 
Sitka people. 

This is a good example of the sort of 
work we have here ; he who gives us most 
cause for rejoicing to-day is our heaviest 
trial to-morrow, and, I thank God ! some- 
times it is vice versa. 

After much prayer we sent for Cla-not. 
He returned answer that he was busy, but 
late in the evening he came with a heavy, 
dogged expression on his blackened face, 
Shakinor hands with him — a^rainst his will, 
apparently — we had him sit down, and Mr. 
Willard began to tell him of how he was 
the first Chilcat he had ever heard of, and 
that it was in answer to his request for a 
missionary (as published in Dr. Jackson's 
book) that we came here ; then of how 
glad he had made us by his prompt peace- 
makinof. Now we had heard he was in 
trouble, and had sent for him that we 
might know all the truth and be able to 
help him farther into the right way. He 
was very sullen at first, then full of anger 



LIFE IN ALASKA. I45 

at his enemy, but in the course of three 
hours' talk he became very quiet, even 
though we gave him the gospel law in re- 
oard to wives as well as enemies. He 
had eaten nothing since his trouble began, 
and refused to do so until the matter was 
settled in some way. 

Early on the second morning after, he 
came in like a very different man — came 
of his own accord — to tell us that he had 
changed his mind and wished to have 
peace everywhere ; his wives came back, 
and he made a great feast, with Skoo-kum 
Jim as chief guest. 

Then the upper-village people who were 
here had had some differences with this 
people, and they called them together to a 
big smoke. They in turn seemed to vie with 
each other in attentions to the strangers. 
Old Chief Shat-e-ritch, who in his day has 
been the wildest of the Chilcats, said to 
us on Saturday night that everybody was 
making peace and he wanted to do so too. 
He had one thino- to settle in his own vil- 
lage, which he would do when he went 
back home. 
10 



146 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

On Sabbath morning you may be sure 
we had a grand peace-meeting. The 
schoolhouse was crowded ; in a space per- 
haps less than six feet square I counted 
twenty-eight persons. There was no room 
for benches, if we had had them. Even 
the old medicine-men, who had not been 
at a meeting for weeks, were there. After 
a service of two or three hours we had a 
hasty lunch and went back. We had the 
children recite their catechism and about 
twenty verses of Scripture in both English 
and Kline-eet, blendino- these exercises with 
singing and prayer in both languages, and 
another sermon. 

The upper-village people were so im- 
pressed with the children's exercises that 
Shat-e-ritch made arrangements to have 
his son board at the trader's and attend 
school. Mr. Willard teaches them Eng- 
lish, and the whole congregation repeat 
the Lord's Prayer in concert every Sab- 
bath in their own language. 

We were very tired that evening, and 
thought the people were too ; but just be- 
fore dark two of the head-men came in and 




CHILCAT MOTHER AND CHILD GOING TO CHURCH. 
From a Drawing by Mrs. Willard. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. I49 

begged us to have another meeting, be- 
cause they were going to the Stick coun- 
try and it would be so long before they 
could come again ; all the other people 
wanted it too, they said ; so, of course, we 
had the service. Mr. Willard gave them 
a basket of the living bread to take with 
them to the poor Stick country, and he was 
glad of the opportunity, for in one of the 
villages he had seen them making hoochi- 
noo to take with them for trade. This morn- 
ing they left, and we are trying to get some 
mail ready to send with the canoe. 

Now I want to tell you about our school- 
house. It is a rough up-and-down board 
shanty, sixteen by thirty feet. It may do 
for a schoolhouse for a little while, but a 
larger meeting-house is a necessity. We 
shall soon be obliged either to have service 
out of doors or to turn away many who are 
anxious to hear the word of life. As it is 
now, they average scarcely more than a 
square foot each in the space they occupy. 
The people have been accustomed to hud- 
dling together in a way perfectly surpris- 
ing to a white person, but they do not like it 



ISO LIFE IN ALASKA. 

in church ; they say now they are learning 
white men's ways and they do not wish to 
sit on the floor. Many of them have come 
to pay much more attention to personal ap- 
pearance. I cut clothing for them, and they 
take great pains in making it. Many of 
these people stand through the service as 
close together as cord-wood rather than sit 
down in such a mass on the floor. Then 
we expect many more in the spring ; they 
are coming from above to build here. 
They ought to build the meeting-house 
themselves, but they are not yet ready for 
that. The bare mention of anything to 
pay would empty our meeting-house in a 
day, as it has our school several times when 
the report was circulated that we would 
make them pay for it after a while. It 
will require the grace of God in their hearts 
and years of education before they will do 
their duty in the matter of giving, and that 
they may receive this grace and education 
they must hear. How can they hear if 
the house will not hold them ? 

Mr. Willard thinks that we could build 
the best possible house for this locality, 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 



151 



and at very much less expense than a 
frame, out of the native forest which sur- 
rounds us here, fitting the logs into each 
other with moss. This could be done by 




CHII.CAT WOMAN SEWING, WITH HER BABE LEANING AGAINST 
THE WALL. 

From a Draiuing by Mrs. WiUard. 

the Indians, under direction, at twenty-five 
cents per log, when white labor no better 
would cost three dollars and a half per 
day ; and it would give employment to the 
people, for which they are suffering. This 
matter gives us no little concern — how to 



152 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

employ the people. They are waking up 
to new wants, they are rapidly becoming 
dissatisfied with the old life, and they are 
exceedingly anxious to work that those 
wants may be supplied ; and that they 
should be supplied is necessary to the 
.further growth and development of those 
whom we are trying to bring into the light 
of Christianity and civilization. 

There is another thing which grows upon 
us — the necessity of some more special work 
for the children. It would make your hearts 
ache, as mine has ached so many times, 
to see them. I do not refer to their little 
naked legs and bare, bleeding feet as they 
trudofe throufrh the snow, often to their 
waist, to school and church all this winter 
weather ; nor do I refer to seeing them 
half starved, as we sometimes find them — 
not these thing's, althoucrh I could not tell 
you of the pain they have given me. Af- 
ter all, they are heroic little fellows and 
make the most of life as they find it, some- 
times even seeming to prefer nudity, with 
the mistaken idea that in endurinor all this 
exposure they are growing very strong. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. I 53 

No, it is not these things that have driven 
us to say, putting our trust in God for the 
means, " Something must be done for these 
children." Much of what I have referred 
to cannot be written in a letter like this. 
Would that I had every mother's ear in 
Christian America ! The mothers' hearts 
would burn at the story. 

Dozens of these children have been 
brought to us by their parents, who begged 
us to take them and teach them something 
better than they could. As we are situat- 
ed, it is impossible to do this, however our 
hearts may yearn over them. 

We had spoken to Dr. Sheldon Jackson, 
when he was here, about the natural ad- 
vantages for a Home here, but he was 
heavily burdened with personal obligations 
in getting the mission started at all, and he 
said, 

" No ; there is a boys' Home at Sitka, 
and a girls' Home at Fort Wrangell : let 
them go there y 

So with might and main, when they come 
to us, we tell them of those good Homes, 
and the good people in charge of them, 



154 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

and beseech them to send their children 
there ; but invariably come the impatient 
gathering up the blanket, the averting of 
the head, and the decided "Clake" ( "No"). 
They will not do it. Their tribal feeling is 
very strong, and their pride in their own 
mission, to a degree, is proper and grati- 
fying ; and the truth is, after all, that though 
the Sitka Home is a desirable haven, a par- 
adise, for Sitka boys, it can be filled from the 
lower coast. And it is not wholly desir- 
able that our boys should go there, for, com- 
paratively, our people are clean and pure. 
However good the Home, our boys could 
not come into contact with the united cor- 
ruption of white and Indian Sitka without 
learning depths of evil of which they now 
have only the hint. And another thing : we 
are fully convinced that a Home could be- 
come self-supporting in a very few years, 
and perhaps support all this mission. We 
have an abundance of good soil — lying well, 
much of it — that would require almost no 
labor to prepare for cultivation. We could 
raise enough "truck" here to supply the 
whole coast, and our vegetables would find 



LIFE IN ALASKA. I 55 

ready market and good prices at the mines. 
If we had a httle steam-launch we could 
control the whole matter, with no middle- 
man to eat up profits. Now, we cannot 
ask the Board for this help; but if any of 
the churches choose to help us, no one can 
object, and we believe that it would be the 
most profitable investment for the work 
here that could be made — in every sense 
profitable ; for we think that no other one 
thine could have such an influence on the 
people. The cost to begin with would be 
comparatively small. The house could be 
built of logs. We can have the land now 
for the taking ; but if report is true. It will 
not be so long. A rush of population Is 
predicted for Chilcat In the coming spring. 
We would require a good practical farmer 
and his wife — thorough Christian mission- 
aries — to take charge of the Home and 
farm. The very first season the boys could 
provide their own vegetables and fish, and 
I believe we could fill such a Home In 
less than a week from our own villaofes. 
Will you not help us? 

That God may guide and bless us all 



156 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

in the furtherance of his own blessed work 
is the earnest prayer of your friend, 

Carrie M. Willard. 

To the Little Mission Band of the Second 
Presbyterian Church, New Castle, Penn- 
sylvania. 

Chii.cat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, Februaiy 3, 1882. 

My Dear Friends: You cannot know, 
and I am sorry that I cannot tell you, 
just how much of good it did us when 
we heard from one of your number these 
words : " We have a mission band now, and 
we are working for Alaska." Of course 
you know, or you would not be working 
at all, that doing for " one of these little 
ones " is doing for Jesus, and you know that 
nothing done for that dear name is lost. 
You will have large reward in your own 
hearts now; and up there, when we all have 
gone home, will it not be sweet reward 
when I see and recognize some of these 
Chilcat children as they come in, and after 
they have been to Jesus he lets me take 
them by the hand to you and say, " These 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 157 

are the little ones for whom you worked so 
faithfully"? Always pray while you work 
that God may bless all you do in making 
it the means of savino- some souls. 

When I heard that your hearts were 
turned toward this strange land, I wanted 
to tell you more. about it, and I will try to 
do so. Did you have a Thanksgiving day 
at home this year ? We have never heard, 
but we had one here on the third Thursday 
of November, and a real good one it was. 
The people had never heard of such a 
thine before, but for a week or two be- 
fore the time we talked with them about 
it ; so that when the day came they were 
ready. Early in the morning our bright 
flag was up clear to the top of the pole, 
where the wind waved it joyously. The 
snow was white and deep and the day 
clear and beautiful. At about eleven 
o'clock A.M. the bell was rune, eivine out 
its quickest, happiest tones. Almost at its 
first tap the people poured into the school- 
house. And I wish you could see them as 
they answer such a summons. It seems to 
me almost the prettiest picture I ever saw — 



158 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

the eager, pleasant faces, the hurried steps 
of all, the movino- and Qroreeous colors of 
their clothinor ao^ainst the snow at their feet 
and the blue-black of the pine-forest around 
them, the great mountains back and above 
all, while the glassy waters of the bay give 
back the shadows of the woods and the colors 
of the sky. After they had sung and prayed 
and listened while they were told of God's 
p^reat blessinos the meetino- closed and the 
playing began, in-doors and out. But the 
boys soon wearied of making snow-men, 
because, havino- neither shoes, stockino^s 
nor pants, they became too much like Jack 
Frost's children themselves. In the even- 
ing we had the two best classes of the 
school come to a party in our home, which 
they seemed to enjoy very much. I found 
them very quick in taking up new plays, 
full of fun and very well behaved. 

Then I think you would like to hear 
about our Christmas. Oh how I did wish 
for some of your deft fingers then ! Just 
think ! sixty-nine children, besides some 
grown folks, to provide for ! I'm sure it's 
a good thing I have a long scrap- bag. I 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 159 

had to use many a bit and all the wit I had. 
Many of the children were very irregular 
in attendance at school ; so about two 
months before Christmas I told them about 
it, and that the presents would be graded 
according to their good works. So I had 
to grade every child and every present. 
Mrs. Dickinson, the teacher, knit several 
little collars of yarn and two small scarfs, 
and gave me about a dozen tiny dolls out of 
the store, which helped a good deal. Then 
my little Indian girl, Kittie, dressed the 
dolls, and she and Mr. Willard trimmed 
the house with evergreens and flags, and 
we had a splendid tree, a crowded house 
and a good time. For one of our head- 
girls I made a charming little hood out of 
an old red-flannel drawer-leo- and a little 
bit of black velvet ; for a good many oth- 
ers I made little bags out of an old blue- 
silk ruffle I had, and filled them accordino- 
to works with buttons, needles, thread and 
thimbles. For some — the lowest — I made 
only little red-flannel needle-leaves ; for 
others, little handkerchiefs with the Tur- 
key-red initial of their English name. 



l6o LIFE IN ALASKA. 

To show you how these things were 
prized, I must tell you how a young wo- 
man was dressed the other day at church. 
She has most beautiful, soft, shining hair, 
which waves back and hano^s loose at her 
neck. Her eyes are large and dark and 
bright ; her cheeks are very rosy. She 
wore a skirt of the most brilliant orange 
flannel and a loose blouse waist of some 
light figured calico ; about her neck was a 
white handkerchief, over which was turned 
a narrow but exceedingly bright blue rib- 
bon, crossed in front and pinned tOQfether 
with my scarlet-flannel needle-leaves. 

As a general thing they are fond of 
bright colors, but there are some sensi- 
tive exceptions. On Sabbath I noticed a 
young woman who kept her eyes down 
and seemed to be in trouble ; so after 
service I spoke to Mrs. Dickinson about it. 
She said that I might have noticed the wo- 
man wore a new red blanket, and had made 
the remark to the interpreter after church 
that she felt as though she was in everybody's 
eye. She never wore the blanket again. 

The women are always modestly dressed, 



LIFE IN ALASKA. l6l 

although they wear very little clothing. 
They have a long loose gown of calico 
g-athered to a yoke at the top ; over this, 
a calico skirt. When dressed up, they have 
a jacket to match the skirt, a blanket around 
them, and either a bright-colored cotton or 
a black-silk handkerchief over their head. 
Little girls dress just the same, only some- 
times with moccasins, and sometimes with 
even leather knee-pants, but oftener with 
no clothinof for feet or les^s. The men oren- 
erally wear calico shirts and unbleached mus- 
lin drawers. They have moccasins, which 
they wear sometimes with high tops, some- 
times lengthened into pants. They are 
larofe enousfh to admit of several folds of 
blanket, which takes the place of stockings. 
The little boys, with very few exceptions, 
wear nothing in-doors, this custom being 
varied when they go to church by the ad- 
dition of a little calico shirt. 

In the morning the men and boys go 
down to the water in the river, break a 
hole in the ice and dive into it. Then, 
coming out, they roll in the snow over and 
over and betake them to the house ao-ain. 

o 

11 



1 62 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

They think it makes them strong, but we 
know that in some cases it has caused 
death, and there is a orreat deal of con- 
sumption among the people. But this, 
although it often grieves me, is nothing to 
some other things which trouble me about 
these children. Oh, my little sisters, thank 
God with all your hearts that you have been 
born in a land and in a time made light by 
his word. 

These people often show the greatest 
family affection. In one case it is beauti- 
ful — in a family of father and five little 
girls, the baby just beginning to walk and 
the eldest about ten years. Their mother 
was shot last summer during the war in 
the upper village. She came out with 
her three-months-old baby on her back and 
told her enemies to shoot her. They took 
away the child and shot the mother down. 
The others are here now, and I never saw 
more manifest love in any family. But 
their old superstitions make the people 
very cruel and heartless. 

Of all the customs, there is not one, I 
think, which gives me so much trouble as 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1 63 

that of marrying their children and selHng 
them. In spite of us, so far, there are in 
our village several child-wives from nine 
or ten to thirteen years of age. One dear 
little girl, whose baby- brother died and was 
buried some months ago, and whose pa- 
rents seemed so heartbroken at his loss, 
and who gave us reason to hope that they 
were coming into the light, was given by 
her parents to her father's brother, a 
great brutal fellow, who already had a 
wife, almost blind, with several feeble, id- 
iotic children. This little one was a gen- 
tle, delicate and beautiful girl of about 
nine or ten years. When I see her now, I 
almost want to run away ; for I feel tempt- 
ed to do something desperate. Her little 
face is bruised and swollen ; her eyes are 
bloodshot, and their expression would bring 
tears to your eyes. She sits in that dark, 
cold hut with only those most repulsive 
beings about her, sewing away for them 
like a little old woman, all child-life for 
ever gone. But I did not mean to bring 
such a shadow on your young hearts. Do 
not let it rest there long. Only that you 



164 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

may see the difference between light and 
darkness and long more earnestly to help 
send the word of God into the far corners 
of the earth. 

Now, before I close this already long let- 
ter, I must tell you a little incident to show 
you how much some of these children ap- 
preciate their school. Before the people 
came here and built houses last fall, some 
of the children would bring a lunch of dry 
salmon on Saturdays and stay all the week, 
sleeping in an outhouse. At last came the 
great fish-festival, the gayest time of all the 
year to the Indians, when they take their 
fish for winter and at nights have their 
mask-dance with much music and feasting. 
The children went home for their food, and 
only one returned — faithful little Willis, of 
about ten years of age. We afterward 
heard the story from the village people. 
The good times proved too much for the 
other children, and they determined to 
stay and enjoy them. 

It is for these little ones that you and we 
are working, and for whom we long to have 
a refuge. If the miners come here in the 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 165 

spring, the evil influences will be greatly 
increased, and our little girls especially 
will be the sufferers. We are thankful that 
God sent us here before the miners. Pray 
that his Holy Spirit may work among this 
people. Carrie M. Willard. 

Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, Februaiy 15, 1882. 

My Dear Parents : I would like to hear 
of at least two missionaries for this country 
in the spring. We think of you all every 
day, often wishing we could see you step in. 
We do, indeed, think of you often, and long 
to see you, but we are very careful not to 
let that longing get stronger than we are. 
We never forget that our home is here, 
and that it is the only home in the Chil- 
cat country. . . . 

Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, February 17, 1882. 

My Dear Friends: We held a regular 
council of war yesterday. Jack had brought 
charges against one of the Chilcats for hav- 
ing killed, in Juneau, last fall, his own wife, 



1 66 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

who was of Jack's tribe, and the latter, 
being short of funds, was determined to 
have payment, and was more than ready 
to fight for it. On the other hand, the ac- 
cused denied the charge and demanded the 
proof, which Jack could not give. We knew 
nothing of the trouble until about fifty 
of the strono^est men of both tribes filed 
into our house with their faces painted 
black and red and their heads tied up. 
They arranged themselves — one tribe in 
a close row on one side of the room, the 
other tribe on the opposite side — and 
called for the minister. I had dinner just 
ready to put on the table, but I set it back 
and called Mr. Willard from the study; 
and that was the last of dinner till about 
eieht o'clock that evenino-. We had no 
interpreter but Kittie. The poor child did 
grandly in all the circumstances, which 
were of a trying nature to all. Hour 
after hour the loud, violent charges were 
made, and the refutation as loudly and 
angrily given, until we were all tired out. 
Mr. Willard, after getting the run of the 
trouble, took paper and pencil, and, charg- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 167 

ing the men to tell the whole truth, and 
nothing else, he proceeded to write down 
their words for the man-of-war, to which 
he referred the whole matter. Several 
times they seemed on the very point of 
breakinof over into cuttinof and shootine. 
Twice in particular I thought it was come 
to that, but while I held Baby tight in my 
arms Mr. Willard had sprung into the mid- 
dle of the floor, and with a tremendous set- 
ting down of his feet and bringing down of 
his fist, and with a voice that almost made 
me quail, he brought them back to some- 
thing like order. Then he stood up and 
talked to them until you could almost have 
heard a pin drop, except for the often- re- 
peated " Yug-geh " ("Good"). Old Jack left 
with angry threats before the good feeling 
came, when he found that he could gain 
nothing unjustly through us. 

We had a delightful gathering of the 
children to-night ; all seemed to have a 
good time, and we feel that it must have 
done good. We made Willis master of 
ceremonies, and all did so well ! After 
leavino- their kerchiefs and blankets in the 



l68 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

Indian room, they came to the sitting-room 
to shake hands with us, when we told them 
each, in their own language, that we were 
glad to see them. There must have been 
over a hundred, I think ; we played many 
games, then sang and talked and prayed 
together, and said " Good-night." 

Last week Mr. Willard probed another 
of their deepest cancers. 

The Stick Indians of the interior, from 
whom these people get all their furs and 
their wealth, are a simple, and, so far as we 
can judge by those who have dared to come 
here, an honest, tribe — much more than 
these their superiors, who consider them 
beasts, just as some of the whites esteem 
these Chilcats. The Chilcats have lied to 
the Sticks and cheated them, and to pre- 
vent their coming to the coast to trade 
have told them horrid stories of the whites, 
and that they would be killed if they came. 
The few who have ventured here have been 
dogged about by the Chilcats, and look like 
hunted things. We have, however, gotten 
hold of every one and told them of Christ. 

One of the Sticks brought a nice squir- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1 69 

rel-robe to Mr. Willard last week, and, as 
he wanted one, he bought it from him at 
just the same price that he would pay 
either our own people or the trader ; he 
paid him in flour, shot and powder. You 
can scarcely imagine the hornets' nest that 
was stirred up ; the people were ready to 
mob us. Early next morning, before we 
could get our breakfast, we were set upon 
by some of the head-men, of whom Cla-not 
was spokesman. Many and many a time 
he had asked prices of goods, and we had 
told him ; but he wanted us to tell him the 
truth and everybody else a lie. He charged 
us with having robbed them ; for, said he, 
"the Sticks are our money; we and our 
fathers before us have o^otten rich from 
them. They are only wild : they are not 
men ; and now you have told them these 
things and taken away our riches." Mr. 
Willard told him that he spoke the truth 
to all men, nor would he lie for any : he 
told him that a certain advance on prices 
here was just and right when they carried 
their goods into the interior, but that it was 
wronor to hinder the Sticks from coming- 



I/O LIFE IN ALASKA. 

here, and that when they brought their 
skins here it was only right that they 
should buy and sell at the same prices 
which the Chilcats did. He asked, too, what 
they brought into this world and what they 
expected to take out of it, and tried to 
show them that they were heaping up 
wrath against the day of wrath. That 
one question as to his natural prestige, al- 
though Mr. Willard has used it many times 
in church to check their pride, seemed al- 
together new to Cla-not, and touched him 
more than anything else that was said. He 
reminded us of his high class and that his 
father and grandfather had had wealth be- 
fore him ; told us that it had offended him, 
that he had come to this place expecting 
us to build him a nice house, as they did in 
Port Simpson ; there the people prayed, 
then told the missionary, and he gave them 
the things they asked for. The people here 
could not believe what we preached to them 
when we orave them nothinof, and now we 
had taken away what they had. He would 
not stay in this place any longer. He has 
not allowed his wife to come to church 



LIFE IN ALASKA. I/I 

since we talked to him here about polyg- 
amy ; he says if he lets her hear she will 
give him shame — leave him, I suppose he 
means. He has three wives. 

You must not for one moment imagine, 
from anything that has been written here, 
that we are weary of our work, or ready 
to give it up, or discouraged, for such a 
thought would be far from the truth. We 
expected discouragements and trials ; it 
was from no momentary enthusiasm or 
impulse that we entered upon the work, 
but, as we know our own hearts, from love 
to God, supreme desire to serve him with 
our all and an earnest conviction that he 
called us here. Our minds have never 
wavered for an instant. Our expectations 
have been realized — not in just the way we 
looked for, perhaps, but in trials greater 
than we would have any but him know. 
We have reason to " rejoice and be ex- 
ceeding glad." Continue to pray for us 
that we may be faithful unto the end. In 
the matter of which I have written (the 
boat) our object is not to escape all trial, 
but simply to entrench ourselves, so that 



1/2 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

we will be able to stand our eround in 
fighting the legitimate warfare. 

Monday, February 20. — On Saturday we 
came home from our usual visitine of the 
village with sick hearts, having been con- 
fronted with the charge that we had brought 
on this " terrible " winter of storm and 
snow. In the first place, it was because 
those children had been buried instead of 
burned ; then Mr. Willard had put on his 
snow-shoes in the house ; and lastly, we 
had allowed the children that nig-ht in their 
play to imitate the noise of a wild goose. 
We had very few at church yesterday, and 
those mostly children. Did not know the 
reason until this morning. Two women 
came to us in great trouble. One, the moth- 
er of the first child that was buried, had 
been the subject of persecution for some 
time, and now, since Jack had gone below 
and Cla-not was away seal-fishing, the peo- 
ple declared that should the storm continue 
and the canoes be lost they would kill her 
without mercy. All day Sabbath the peo- 
ple had been ready to kill her, and them- 
selves too. She had slept none that night. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 173 

The people were out of food, and were 
unable, on account of the snow, to go to 
their village store-houses for more, and 
they were desperate. If she did not get 
the minister to show her where the o-rave 
was and build a fire over it, they would 
kill her, any way. Mr. Willard told them 
that neither the burial nor the place had 
been any secret ; it had been done in day- 
light ; all had the opportunity of knowing 
all about it. Then we talked with them 
for a long time, trying to show them the 
foolishness and sin of their superstitions ; 
and they listened so well that they went 
away saying the people might do what they 
liked: they would build no fire. They said 
the people had built great fires over the 
other little graves, and had brought two 
days of beautiful weather. 

February 23. — The storm continuing, the 
woman yielded yesterday ; and this morn- 
ing there is a great fire on the beach, 
built by the people, around which the chil- 
dren are dancinor and throwine into it lit- 
tie effigies. Oh, may the Lord have mercy 
on this poor people and deliver them from 



174 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

such idolatry ! It is still snowing-. The 
fall has been indeed wonderful to us ; I 
am sure we must have had twenty- five feet 
at least. It thaws and sinks so that it has 
hardly exceeded eight feet in depth at any 
time, but it is so solid that one can walk 
over it anywhere. But the storms are 
sometimes so blindinof that traveling is 
next to impossible. Our house is built 
high, yet, as I look out of the window, I 
see only the snow-covered apex of the out- 
house roofs and the tops of a few trees ; 
the mountains are entirely lost in the storm, 
and the waters of the bay are far below my 
snow wall. A man wanted to cut some 
wood for us last week, and he dug out the 
cord. You should see the cavern — down, 
down, down, then away on so far beneath 
the surface. But a very different picture 
our interior presents, with its bright-car- 
peted sitting-room, roaring w^ood-fire, big 
windows of light, and the green trailing 
moss on pictures and walls, with table and 
shelf of good and bright-covered books for 
friends. As one of the Indians said to me 
one eveninij when, unable to q^o to church, 




AN ALASKAN SNOW-STORM. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 177 

I sat reading at home, " You can stay here 
all alone and yet have many friends, for 
your books talk to you like people." Do 
you not think that was a bright remark ? It 
made me so glad and thankful ! But, above 
all, our little home is bright because of its 
quiet content and its little white bird in the 
blue-gingham apron, whose music grows 
sweeter every day. I wish I could give 
you a correct likeness of her. 

Monday, Febriiaiy 27. — No hint of out- 
houses now, and even by mounting a chair 
I cannot see over the snow against the win- 
dow. We had only about sixty at church 
yesterday. The women were out in a 
body, working nearly all day at the snow 
with their canoe-paddles, trying to find the 
little grave, but with no success. Late last 
evening they came again to get Mr. Wil- 
lard to go with them ; of course he would 
not go. This morning, before breakfast, 
our kitchen was about filled with them 
again. He told them that he knew no 
more about it than they did. If he did, he 
would not show them ; and he wished them 
to come to him no more for such a purpose. 

12 



178 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

Of course, in all these talks we tell them 
why it is wrong and what is right. 

Another large fire was kindled on the 
beach last week for the purpose of burn- 
ing the hair of a little crirl who had dared 
to comb it outside the house. It was im- 
mediately cut close to her head and burned 
to avert catastrophe. 

I think the saddest of their superstitions 
are those which most directly affect the 
living, such as witchcraft. When a girl is 
twelve or fourteen years old, she is se- 
cluded for a length of time great in pro- 
portion to her caste — from six months to 
two years — in a little dark room, and dur- 
ing this time is never allowed to see the 
daylight, nor any face save her mother's, 
who, when necessary, goes out with the 
girl after-night, and then the latter is close- 
ly blanketed. 

Some evenings ago a father and mother 
brought their little girl to me in great dis- 
tress. The people were so angry because 
she was not imprisoned according to their 
customs that it was not safe for her to be 
seen alone. The medicine- men declared 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1/9 

that this was one cause of the great snow- 
storm. She is one of the brightest and 
best girls in the village, and she recently 
said, " I know that God knows all things, 
and that he sees my heart while I say I 
have nothing to hide." We had a long 
talk, and among other things the father 
said that, to show me how the people be- 
lieved these things, he would tell me what 
was done before we came. A mrl of hi^h 
class during a time of bad weather was 
the subject of this charge by the medicine- 
men. She denied it. The storm contin- 
ued. They told her that if she did not 
confess it they would kill her. They then 
commenced to torture her by burning her 
blanket from her by inches to extort her 
confession. Her blanket was half burned 
from her body ; still she denied ; still the 
storm raged. They next killed a slave, but 
without the desired effect on the girl, and last 
of all they killed her and burned her body, 
when immediately the storm abated and 
they had beautiful weather. When told 
that these customs were not regarded by 
the Fort Wrangell Indians, and that they 



l80 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

had no storms as a consequence, they quick- 
ly repHed that this country was very differ- 
ent ; the least little thing would bring snow 
here. Of course we tried to explain to 
them how and why it was different. 

March has come in like a lamb. Last 
evening we saw the sun set gloriously after 
so long, and this morning it rose with equal 
splendor. About noon we heard the report 
that the woman had at last been successful 
in finding the grave some time during the 
forenoon. 

March 25. — Just after I wrote you last, 
our trials in sickness began, but God 
brought us through so wonderfully ! I think 
I never felt so thankful for oruidance and 

o 

strength as during this time for what he 
so mercifully gave me. In the first place, 
our little Carrie was taken with I know not 
what, but she chilled and fretted and cried ; 
had no appetite, yet seemed to be starving; 
seemed to have a severe cold in the head, 
and we got no rest at night. At length, on 
Saturday night, among other ways of sooth- 
ing her, I tried rubbing her back with my 
bare hand, and found, to my astonishment 



LIFE IN ALASKA. l8l 

(for she had so long been exposed to it 
without having taken the disease), that 
small-pox was coming out. In the early 
morning I called Mr. Willard to make the 
fires and get on water to pack Baby, for 
she was cold and the small-pox not coming 
out well. He was not feeling well, either, 
havinor his first old-fashioned headache 
since coming to this country ; and upon 
getting up he almost fainted several times. 
At last, after lying down between attempts 
at dressing. Baby meanwhile screaming as 
though she would go into spasms, he suc- 
ceeded in orettinor out to the sittinof-room, 
callinor Kittie and Q-ettinsf a fire made. As 
soon as possible I got Carrie into a soda- 
water pack, which quickly soothed her so 
much that she allowed Kittie to hold her 
while I attended to Mr. Willard, who by 
this time was rolling on the floor in his 
misery. Having bathed his head, got his 
feet to heating and made him a cup of 
tea, which he could not swallow, I drank a 
mouthful myself and took the fretting child. 
After an hour or so I got her down in a 
sweet sleep, which lasted for two hours. 



1 82 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

Still in the pack. Then I found Mr. Wil- 
lard almost delirious. He did not know 
what ailed him, but he complained of ag- 
onizing pain — he didn't know where — and 
of burning up, although his skin felt like 
a dying person's, cold and clammy, while 
his color was a singular mixture of purple, 
white and green. I soon had a cot-bed up 
in the sitting-room, big kettles of boiling 
water, tub, wringer and blankets, and fairly 
forced the almost crazy man into a scald- 
ing pack, with flat-irons all around. I de- 
spatched Kittie to Mrs. Dickinson to tell 
her our situation, and that I wished she 
would hold the Sunday-school. 

Mr. Willard grew alarmingly ill. Baby 
woke crying. I took her out of her three- 
and-a-half hours' pack and gave her a good 
bath ; she was then brighter and better, the 
small-pox out pretty well. Then I went 
back to Mr. Willard again. Kittie stayed 
hour after hour; not a soul came near. 
At last he fell asleep, and by and by my 
anxious eyes saw that the sleep grew nat- 
ural ; a better, redder color came into his 
face, and after about two hours there came 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1 83 

a little natural perspiration ; and when I 
took him out, although he was as weak as 
a child, he' was himself again, and in the 
course of a week he had almost regained 
his old footinof. Little Carrie soon became 
very restless again. The irritation was 
fearful; the immense pocks had pits of white 
matter as large as peas, and on a part of 
her body so thick that I could not lay a 
finger-end between them; fortunately, there 
were none on her face or hands, though 
they were thick on her little head. I 
packed her again, and again at bedtime 
bathed her with weak salt water. Still 
there was no rest, with all I could do, for 
several days and nights, though she was 
doing well and had entirely recovered in 
two weeks, while the Indians are sick with 
the disease many weeks, sometimes months, 
and quite a number have died. 

Of course, after this siege, I did not feel 
quite young, but I was happy in having my 
dear ones living and well, and you know as 
well as I can tell you that I had the tender- 
est care and nursing when I needed it. . . . 

I make our things, as far as I can, out of 



184 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

the material which the Indians use to such 
poor advantage ; I want to teach them the 
utihty of beauty. After I had finished 
Baby's fur-hned and trimmed button shoes 
of the reindeer skin and tlie httle cloak and 
bonnet, the women kept repeating, " In- 
dians Vv^o^N nothing y and " Mother Nauk-y- 
stih knows everything;" which extravagant 
assertions were the outcome of an energy 
which afterward wrought somethinof more 
substantial in the shape of improved cloth- 
ing. . . . Carrie M. Willard. 

Extracts from Letters of Rev. Eugene S. 
Willard. 

January 26, 18S2. 

Dear Dr. Jackson ; I spent last week 
at the upper village teaching and visiting 
among the people. My knowledge of 
Kling-get was not sufficient to undertake 
preaching while there. I brought over a 
dozen people down to spend the Sabbath 
here ; others have come to stay that their 
children may go to school. Many of the 
people are making arrangements to build 
here in the spring. I wish all the people 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1 85 

could collect together, as it would be so 
much easier reaching them. I made about 
one-half of the way up the river on a pair 
of American club skates, and coming back 
I made about the same distance on snow- 
shoes. I had difficulty in getting the chil- 
dren together. They were willing to come, 
but had no idea of time. I very much 
needed a large hand-bell to summon them. 

We are getting along finely at this point. 
The school is large, and the congregation 
on Sabbath completely fills our schoolhouse, 
so that not a square foot is vacant from the 
platform to the door. A larger building is 
needed. I look anxiously for word from 
you, that I may know the signs of the times. 

March 25, 1882. — We feel certain of 
receiving word from you by next mail, for 
the accumulation of five months awaits us 
at Juneau. The steamer promised for the 
first of the month has not yet arrived. 
There will be much to attend to when it 
does come, for the mail strain is always 
great, and this, after so long a famine, will 
be almost too much for poor human na- 
ture. We had our expectations kindled 



1 86 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

yesterday, when we saw a canoe coming 
around the south point of the bay, from 
Juneau ; but no mail was brought, though 
we have word through the Indians that 
there are two large sacks for us. The 
brave Kling-get was afraid to bring it up, 
not knowing he would get his pay. They 
will do nothing without pay, but expect us 
to give them everything and do everything 
for them for nothing. I am not of the opin- 
ion of those who believe that this ought to 
be done. I wanted to get the idea into 
their heads that we came amone them for 
other reasons than to hire them to be friends 
to us. The people in a general way are 
friendly. 

March 30. — We had the largest prayer- 
meetino- last nigrht that we have had since 
coming- here. Our house M^as so full of 
Indians that it was difficult to get from one 
room to the other. The kitchen and sit- 
ting-room are connected by folding- doors, 
so that it is like one large room, equally as 
laroe as the schoolhouse. . . . 

o 

It seems strange when I think of it — this 
leaving" the house sometimes full of red- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1 8/ 

skins. Before coming among them I had 
thought it would not be safe to turn one's 
back to them. . . . Eugene S. Willard. 

Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, April 5, 1882. 

Rev. Sheldon Jackson — 

Dear Brother : The Favorite came in 
yesterday afternoon with mail from, the mid- 
dle of November up to March ; of course 
it took us till midnight to look over, read 
and arrange, and then we retired before 
we were through, but not to get one wink 
of sleep. 

We received a flag by express (an ele- 
gant gift from the young people of Joliet, 
Illinois), and our piano; the latter is in the 
sitting-room, and I have already played 
some old tunes on it for the Indians, but 
I think it did me more good than them, 
though they were so delighted. It came 
without a case from Sitka, as it alone had 
barely been rescued by the miners from 
the fire which utterly destroyed the boys' 
Home and much of their oroods, leavino- 
poor Mr. and Mrs. Austin homeless and 



1 88 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

impoverished again. Oh, I long to give 
them everything I have ! Dear people ! 
what trials they have had ! and how nobly 
they bear them ! May the Lord show them 
(jreat licrht and comfort! What a mine- 
linar of feelincrs these letters g-ive us — so 
much of sorrow, and yet so much of 
joy! . . . 

Our village here will soon be left to 
itself. The Indians are even now com- 
mencing to separate. Some go to the 
lower Chilcat, some to Chilcoot and some 
to Te-nany, a fishing-village between this 
and Chilcoot, about three or four miles by 
water from here. Others go up the Dy-ya 
Inlet some fifteen miles, and others to the 
upper village ; so that Mr. Willard's cir- 
cuit-riding — or, rather, paddling — will soon 
commence. 

April 8. — The Sunday-school papers are 
indeed a treasure ; we have had none for a 
good while, and the people seem hungry 
for them. I never saw such eagerness, 
even among white children at Christmas, as 
these people, old and young, evinced as the 
papers came out. They are seized and 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1 89 

hoarded as the greatest treasure, the pict- 
ures pored over right side up, upside down 
and sideways, though the Indians cannot 
read a Hne. The school-children, however, 
pick out the little words and enjoy that. 

You ask about the animals here. Cin- 
namon, black and brown bears are said by 
the Indians to be numerous in the woods 
all around us. In crossing the trail to the 
lower villages the men always carry knives 
or cruns with them. Foxes, wolves, wol- 
verines and many other animals abound. 
There are many reindeer farther in the in- 
terior. We have many varieties of birds. 
I have seen more eagles, ravens and gulls 
than any other birds, but there are grouse 
of different kinds, the most beautiful being 
the snow-white. In the waters there are 
seals, walruses and beaver; halibut and 
spotted, red, also white, salmon ; a deli- 
cious little silver fish, in size and shape 
resemblinof the small herrino- : these are 
the fish which the people are said to use 
for candles, stickino- the head in the ofround 
and lighting the tail. They also make of 
them a grease white as lard, which they 



1 90 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

very much prize for food. Ducks are very 
plenty, from the real mallard down to the 
little lish-duck ; but we do not get many of 
them, as the Indians prefer lying around 
their bio^ fires eatinof dried salmon to fish- 
ing and hunting, except for the seal. 

One day I saw that a man had brought 
in a young seal. I went down to the boat 
where he and his wife were unloading and 
told him I wished to buy a piece. The wo- 
man shook her head, saying that seal would 
kill white people ; but I insisted, and at 
length had the satisfaction of seeing the 
animal skinned and quartered. Under the 
skin there is a layer of pure fat from one 
to two inches thick all over the animal ; this 
is used for oil. The flesh is almost black ; 
for bones, there are but the back-bone and 
ribs. I baked my purchase for dinner; it 
was not very bad, nor can I say that we 
liked it very much. The taste is a cross 
between fish and animal. 

As I have already mentioned, there have 
been two brothers here in the Chilcat coun- 
try since Christmas, by the names of Aurel 
and Arthur Krause, both doctors of natu- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. I93 

ral science from the University of Berlin, 
Prussia. They consider the country rich 
from their standpoint, and in scenery they 
say it surpasses everything they ever saw 
before, although they have spent months 
among the Alps and have traveled exten- 
sively through the East. They crossed the 
American continent — last spring, I think — 
and went on a whaler to Siberia, where 
they remained some months before coming 
here. They are indefatigable workers, and 
have quite upset the old geography of this 
locality, making a new map of it. I asked 
Dr. Arthur (the elder brother left for home 
by the last steamer) if their reports had been 
printed in America. He said only a few 
geographical items : the rest were sent di- 
rect to Germany, with innumerable speci- 
mens. . . . Carrie M. Willard. 

Chii.cat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, April 12, 18S2. 

My Dear Little Sister: Your little let- 
ter was a treat. I wish you could give us 
one every month. . , . 

I cannot write you much of a letter all 

13 



194 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

to yourself this time, but I must answer 
one part of yours. You are anxious to 
do good, to help along the work of bring- 
ing the world to Jesus, and I understand 
perfectly well how, to your mind, Alaska's 
claims are stronger than others. You love 
its missionaries ; so your sympathies are 
quicker, your perceptions of its need keen- 
er. Owing to your intimate relations to us, 
your information is fuller ; and that alone 
would give you a deeper interest in this 
field. I am glad and thankful that you 
have an eager interest in our work. But, 
my little sister, it is all God's work ; do not 
say that you will not work with the society 
if they do not work for Alaska. There are 
heathen in Mexico for whom some one must 
labor if they are ever brought to Christ. 
There are missionaries who are working 
faithfully there whose hearts, I have no 
doubt, have their discouragements and tri- 
als, and who need the comfort of loving 
deeds and cheering words as much as we. 
Will it not be nobler to say to your society, 
" Work for Christ, and I am with you with 
all my heart"? and if it is their wish to work 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 195 

for Mexico, work just as earnestly, and just 
as generously, as though it were all to come 
here. It all eoes into the same eternal 
treasury, you know. Your loving interest 
is more sweet to us than I can tell, and we 
should much enjoy having an unbroken 
family working for the land for which we 
are willing to lay down our lives, but the 
other is the truer, broader, nobler thought 
— that the world is the field and the one 
Lord is the Master. It will be sweet in 
that day when we come together before 
the Lord of the harvest one family, but 
with bundles from the north and from 
the south, having helped to make them 
one. . . . Carrie M. Willard. 

To the Sabbath-School of the Presbyterian 
Church of East Springfield, New York. 

Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, April 14, 1882. 

My Dear Friends: The little steamer 
Favorite dropped into our harbor on Tues- 
day of last week for the first time since 
last October, and we do not expect to see 
her again before the autumn ; so that our 



196 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

dependence will be upon chance canoes for 
mail and supplies for another six months. 

I have been questioned in regard to facil- 
ities for communication with the outer world. 
They are rather meagre. Port Townsend, 
Washington Territory, is the most north- 
westerly port in the United States. Ves- 
sels are frequent between that point and 
San Francisco and Portland, Oregon ; also 
a railroad, connecting by stage with the 
Central Pacific, runs to within a few miles 
of Port Townsend, From that point there 
is but one steamer per month for the North; 
that leaves, or aims to do so, on the first 
day of each month. If a letter is an hour 
behind the leaving of the steamer, you see, 
it will be a month late in reaching any Alas- 
kan port; and if it miss our semi-annual 
steamer at Juneau, and no chance canoe 
comes along bound for the Chilcat coun- 
try, it may be six months late in reaching 
us. The steamer from Port Townsend 
touches first at Fort Wrangell, then Sitka, 
then Juneau, and goes back by way of 
Fort Wranorell. 

The Favorite is a small trading-vessel 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1 9/ 

which merely runs between the Alaskan 
posts of the North-West Trading Com- 
pany as their stores demand new supplies 
or have a quantity of furs to send below. 
Last summer it visited this point several 
times, but hereafter, I believe, they expect 
to make the trip only in spring and fall. It 
is the only steamer which comes nearer 
than Juneau, except as occasion demands 
the presence of the man-of-war anchoring 
at Sitka. 

You wish to know what we have to eat 
and where it comes from. Of course, this 
first year, we have no food except as we 
buy it. What you buy " down town," we 
order from Portland or San Francisco, from 
fifteen hundred to two thousand miles away; 
and if our goods are left behind, as they 
were last fall, we are brouo-ht to Q-reat want 
or to the unpleasant alternative of purchas- 
ing very inferior store-goods at high rates. 
Owing to a very natural repugnance to do- 
ing this, both because of the lead-distress 
which the poor canned goods gave us and 
because we dreaded being in debt, we have 
frequently tried the former plan ; but we 



198 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

have always had flour, and I have learned 
how to make many dishes out of bread, in 
lieu of meat, vegetables and fruit. Occa- 
sionally we have been fortunate enough to 
get beautiful spotted trout from the river 
at the upper village, and now and then 
ducks, Indian chickens and grouse ; but on 
account of the great snow the people have 
lain almost dormant so far as huntinof is 
concerned. 

In summer both fish and berries are 
abundant, and of both there are many 
varieties, of the former ranorinof from hali- 
but to the little " rock," and of both salt 
and fresh water. We ate of eleven kinds 
of berries last summer, and still there were 
other kinds we did not taste. We could not 
often pfet more, however, than enouo-h for 
one meal at a time. We find the goose- 
berry, black currant, huckleberry and soft 
red raspberry of the States growing wild. 
The other varieties, so far as I know, are 
peculiar to this country. 

The delicious trout are very abundant 
through the winter in Upper Chilcat River, 
the only difficulty being to get them brought 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 1 99 

down here. The men and boys catch diem 
by cutting a hole in the ice and dropping in 
bait of salmon-eofSfs, for which the trout 
come in great numbers. Then, with a pe- 
cuHar sort of spear-hook, they are brought 
up — as many as five at a time on one stick ; 
but the people depend principally upon the 
salmon, which they dry during the month 
of September, and salmon-eggs and the sal- 
mon-berry, which they preserve together in 
salmon-oil. They prepare huckleberries 
also, for winter use, by washing them, and 
drying them between two boards perhaps 
a foot square. The berry-cake is about 
three-fourths of an inch thick, tart and tastes 
very strong of wood-smoke. They also dry 
seaweed and use it with a general boiled 
dinner of salmon-eggs, berries and oil 
in the same pot. The seaweed has cer- 
tain medicinal properties which render it 
exceedingly valuable in such a bill of fare 
— much as our Q-ood and wise mothers at 
home value onions for their families. When 
this pot-dinner is cooked, the pot itself is 
taken down from the hook and chain by 
which it is suspended from the roof-beams 



200 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

over the great central fire, and the family 
eather about it with bone and wooden 
spoons varying in size according to the size 
of the individual, that belonging to the baby 
being about the size of a common soup- 
ladle, while that used by the head of the 
household is near the size of his own head. 
When they do not boil their fish, they roast 
it. After splitting it open quite flat, they 
pass through it, cross-wise, at the top and 
bottom, a little rod, and lengthwise a 
stick lone enouirh to run into the o^round 
and at the same time support the fish 
against the blaze. 

You also inquire as to our fuel. It is 
wood alone, which in this part of the pe- 
ninsula is abundant. So far we have seen 
no indications of coal among- these moun- 
tains. . . . 

Now that the days are growing longer 
and warmer, it is a trying matter to walk 
without snow-shoes, for in spots the snow 
has softened enough suddenly to let one 
down to the shoulders. This snow has 
eiven us a ereat deal of trouble with the 
people, and yet it has been the means of 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 20I 

discoverlne to us their true character and 
their superstitions, that otherwise we might 
have been years in finding out; and as we 
learn their need we are able to find the 
remedy, though only God's Holy Spirit 
can cause it to take effect. 

At times through the winter it seemed 
doubtful whether we should see the spring, 
so intense would become the excitement 
of the people upon a return of the snow- 
storm. At none of their old villaofes do 
they have anything to compare with the 
quantity of snow which falls here. This 
difference is quite easily explained to per- 
sons of intelligence. You are aware of 
the cause and effect of the warm Japan 
current, which by its proximity gives to Sit- 
ka its moist and agreeable climate. There 
is from this stream a great and constant 
evaporation, which in summer falls among 
the mountains of that lower coast in the 
form of rain. During the winter the course 
of the winds is northward, and they bear 
with them these heavy vapors, which, as 
they come in contact with our icy moun- 
tains, are condensed and fall upon us in 



202 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

the form of snow. If you examine the 
map of this country, you will see that Linn 
Channel is walled on either side by high 
mountain- ranges, which at the head of the 
channel separate more widely, admitting 
between them the Chilcoot and Chilcat 
Rivers. Between these rivers, with their 
farther mountain-walls, is the peninsula of 
Chilcat, which, southward from Portage 
Bay, is comparatively flat. Immediately 
at the head of the bay begins a mountain, 
which extends unbroken across the penin- 
sula from river to river, forming a perfect 
"back-step" and condenser to these bur- 
dened winds from the south. Our mission 
village lies in the lap of these mountains, 
her feet dropping into the bay, while the 
other villages lie to the north, under the 
sheltering shadow of these " everlasting 
hills." They are also protected by ab- 
rupt turns in the rivers. This explanation, 
though so simple and natural to us, is 
entirely beyond the comprehension of the 
people here, who are ignorant, and whose 
minds are so steeped in superstition. 
To-day (the 1 7th) the snow is falling as 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 205 

heavily as ever, and I presume sonie one 
will soon be in to take me to account for 
daring to bring into the house on my foot, 
yesterday, one of my snow-shoes, which I 
could not readily remove. Another of 
their complaints was that the minister 
had made fiofures of stars on the snow when 
giving the young men a little out-door lect- 
ure on astronomy, and so brought bad wea- 
ther. Upon several occasions we were 
taken by force, the people filing in until 
our room was pretty well filled. They 
came before breakfast ; they came in the 
night and at all hours intervening. We 
tried reasoning, then ridicule, and lastly 
authority, forbidding them to trouble us 
any more with their complaints or threats. 
Soon spring will be here, and their trouble 
on this score will be at an end. We hope 
and pray that ere the falling of another win- 
ter's snows God may have caused the light 
of his truth to enter their hearts and minds. 
He has mercifully preserved the lives of all 
who were out huntino- and tradino- in the 
interior ; though many were ill from ex- 
posure and two canoes were wrecked in 



206 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

the fierce storms, yet all the people were 
brought back In safety. . . . 

The Indians call us " the snow-people '' 
— not because they think we brought the 
snow, but because we are white. Baby 
Carrie they call " little snow-woman." Mr. 
Willard they have named Don-a-wok, which 
means " silver eye " or " bright eye." . . . 
Carrie M. Willard. 

Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, May 8, 1882. 

My Dear Mrs. Haines : I have not yet 
heard from Mrs. Downing, but I have taken 
the little girl, to do for her all in my power. 
It was a burden at this time, for my hands 
are full now to overflowing; but I felt that it 
was the ordering of God, and that he would 
strengthen me for every task he gave. 

A week ago last Saturday (April 29) 
we found that our village here was almost 
deserted, the people having gone to Nauk 
Bay, some ten or twelve miles down the 
channel, to fish, there being in that place 
an immense run of herring. Accordingly, 
we put our things together and followed 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 20/ 

the people to spend the Sabbath at their 
fishing-ground. Some half dozen persons 
who had intended remaining here till Mon- 
day went down also on Saturday, as they 
said they could have no Sunday here with- 
out us ; so there were left in this village only 
a few old people and some children, among 
them my little girl and her grandparents. 
They came down to Nauk on Sabbath just 
in time for church. Some of the people 
were, I think, very glad to see us, but many 
looked dark at our coming; they had in- 
tended to work all that day. 

On Saturday we saw them fishing. In 
the stern of the canoe sat a woman or 
child to paddle ; in the prow, a man with 
a long pole, through which were driven 
many sharpened nails. This pole was used 
much in the same way as a paddle, but with 
every dip were brought up and dropped into 
the canoe from one to six fish. In a very 
short time the canoes were half filled, and 
then taken ashore and the fish emptied into 
great basins dug in the pebbly beach, where 
the women cleaned them and strung them 
on long sticks to dry. As the tide went 



:^08 LIFE TN ALASKA. 

out children ran along the shore, and from 
among the sea-moss gathered fish by the 
tubful. The people worked late on Satur- 
day night ; we had our evening worship 
with a few of the children on the rocks 
overhanging the workers, where they could 
hear the hymn. 

At the dawn of Sabbath six or eio-ht ca- 
noes dropped down into the bay again for 
fish, but the parties soon returned with emp- 
ty boats and very long faces. Of course it 
was the missionary who had driven away the 
fish (they were all gone). There were still 
many of the fish left over undressed from 
the day before, and soon the camp pre- 
sented as lively an appearance as on that 
day. They were angry about the fish, so 
they set about work that they would not 
think of doinof at home, buildinor their 
drying-booths, whittling fish-sticks, clean- 
ino- fish, etc. 

My husband had hoisted the flag at wor- 
ship-time on Saturday evening, and at 
church-time on Sabbath morning we took 
our seats on the rock beneath it and sadly 
looked on at the busy hands and sullen 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 209 

faces of the multitude below. A few of the 
school-children, who were allowed to do so, 
washed the black paint from their faces and 
came to us. We then went down and made 
our way through the busy crowds of people 
to their very midst, and Mr. Willard, taking a 
tin pan, drummed for them to stop work. A 
few did so and gathered closer around us, 
while the others could not but hear as they 
worked ; others came to the afternoon ser- 
vice. 

After church I noticed that my little In- 
dian girl had been set to work on the fish. 
I knew that, child as she was, she was work- 
ing against her conscience, and I called her 
to come to me. I was impressed with the 
idea that if we saved her at all from the 
people, now was the time for the decisive 
step, and after consulting together we de- 
cided to take her at once. Her people 
were only too glad to have the burden of 
her support lifted from their shoulders ; so 
on Monday we brought home with us the 
filthy, half-naked little child, whom I put 
into a tub of warm water and scrubbed to 
entirety with brush and carbolic soap; then, 

14 



2IO LIFE IN ALASKA. 

braiding her long soft hair, I put her first 
into a clean nightdress, then, for the first 
time in her life, into a good clean bed. The 
little heart grew very tender in the opera- 
tion, and I trust that God enabled me to 
take proper advantage of it ; and when I 
left her, after a bedtime talk and prayer 
and a good- night kiss, I could not but trust 
that the good Father had planned a noble 
future for the little one whom he seemed to 
have given to us. During the week, though 
it had seemed so full before that I could 
not possibly get anything more into it, I 
managed to make her an entire suit — un- 
derclothes, skirt-dress and shoes (from deer- 
skin) and stockings. She has gone all win- 
ter with nothing on her body except a little 
ragged cotton slip and but half fed, and she 
is only one of the many bright little girls 
here whom I am besought to take into our 
home, and for whom my heart longs and 
aches. But this poor weak body of mine ! 
Oh, Mrs. Haines, we must have a home 
here. God will provide it, for these chil- 
dren must be saved, and it cannot be done 
in their homeless homes. It has been grow- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 211 

ing upon us ever since we came here, but 
each day the necessity is more apparent, 
each day the burden is heavier on our 
hearts. I did not speak to you of it be- 
fore, because I knew that the Board was 
burdened with work still unprovided for. 
I have had dozens of boys and girls, of the 
best and brightest of our children, brought 
to me by their parents, who begged me 
to take them and teach them better things 
than they themselves could. . . . 

Carrie M. Willard. 

Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, April 14, 1882. 

Dear Dr. Jackson : If Mr. De Groff 
cannot succeed in sending by canoe my 
things that are now in the warehouse at 
Juneau, I will try and go down myself to 
bring them. The Favorite brought only 
flour enough for the trader, and no pota- 
toes at all, no bacon or other supplies. 
Moreover, the boat will not return before 
fall. . . . 

We have had Indian Lot, of Fort Wran- 
gell, with us for nearly a week. We were 



212 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

glad to have some one whom we could 
call on to speak and to lead in prayer. He 
intends to go below on Monday. I bought 
from him about one bushel of potatoes for 
five dollars. . . . 

Chief Shat-e-ritch sends to his son at 
Forest Grove a letter, in which he says, 
" We are so far from the mission that we 
do not go every day to church, but we will 
go in the summer. Learn all you can. I 
do not want you to learn only one half: 
learn all. When you are in the school, 
don't play, but study." . . . 

You will probably remember the deaf- 
and-dumb boy whom you hired to work 
on the house ? We have discovered that 
by putting my watch in his mouth he can 
hear the singing. He never is absent from 
church or prayer-meeting. I have thought 
that perhaps some Christian at home would 
like to give him an opportunity of hearing 
the words of life by providing him with a 
dentaphone. 

Among our people there are three deaf 
persons who can all hear a loud sound, 
though it is impossible to hold a conver- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 21 3 

sation with them: there is but one who 
cannot speak. 

May 9. — I have had several talks with 
different Indians about taking mail to Ju- 
neau. They will not go for less than thirty 
dollars per month ; some want forty. They 
say they will need a large Hydah canoe and 
have at least three men in it. If there is 
any kind of a sea on, they cannot move 
with the canoes. . . . 

May 12. — I did not succeed in sending 
the mail, as I had expected, though it got 
as far as the middle of the bay, when the 
Indians said that some of the letters were 
sent to the storekeepers to tell them what 
the prices of skins were ; so back came the 
mail. But this afternoon the Favorite blew 
her whistle in our harbor, and by her I can 
send to Sitka, She did not stop at Juneau ; 
therefore our mail is not here and our 
freight is still in their warehouse. 

My traveling has commenced, as the 
Indians are away fishing. On the 30th of 
April we camped among the Indians, about 
ten miles down the coast. There was at 
that time a depth of four or five feet of 



214 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

snow on the ground ; at present there is 
about one foot. I used a tin pan for a 
bell and a fine gravel-beach for a meet- 
ing-house. Don-a-wok's canoe and tent 
were secured ; so we were comparatively 
comfortable. 

I would like to go up the Dy-ya Inlet, 
where all the people of the village are 
fishing, but have no way of getting there. 
I do not like these orood-for-nothino- ca- 
noes : you must sit just so, look just so 
and breathe just so, or over they go. . . . 

I was visited the other evening by the 
old Crow chief who gave us the house at 
the upper village. He said he wanted me 
to take his words and send them to the 
officers, telling them to have pity on those 
who want to live in peace, and who do not 
want to see their friends fighting among 
themselves, adding, "And do not let the 
people buy molasses, for it is no good." 
He then told me that a Sitka Indian had 
taken to the upper village one large barrel 
of molasses and two small ones. He want- 
ed me to help him ; he wants the children 
taught, so that they will not grow up as the 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 215 

people now are — "all bad," He said, "The 
men drink, the women drink, die children 
drink, the babies drink." Another man 
said to me, "I don't understand why all 
people don't talk the same language." He 
wanted to learn to be a Christian. . . . 

May 24.. — I have never before appreci- 
ated our utter helplessness. Mrs. Willard 
has been sick for two weeks, with medicines 
no nearer than Juneau. . . . 

The native teachers, Louis and Tillie, for 
the upper village, have been with us one 
week. We were unable to procure a ca- 
noe to take them up the river to their 
station, as all the Indians are away fish- 
inof. We were orlad to welcome them, and 
took them into our house, at the same time 
tellino- them we could not do for them as 
we would if Mrs. Willard were well, and 
that until she was able to walk they should 
take our stove and our stores as their own 
and help themselves. 

Mrs. Willard's sickness was of such a 
dangerous character as to require the most 
constant attention day and night ; but I 
hope a turning-point has been reached 



2l6 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

and that she will soon be in her usual 
health. 

We have had fine weather for weeks 
back, and now the snow has gone. We 
have radishes, onions, lettuce, beets, cab- 
bage and tomato-plants growing in boxes^, 
waiting until I can oret the orround broken. 
I hope to have plenty of vegetables for 
next year. 

I have concluded to build a small loo 
house for the teachers at the upper village, 
for the followinof reasons: i. Increasingr 
complications in regard to the ownership 
and disposal of the proffered Indian house, 
and on this account the inadvisability of 
putting much expense on it ; 2. There is 
no lumber here to fix it with ; 3. Louis be- 
ins' able to eet out shakes for a roof, I will 
be enabled to build a comfortable losf 
dwelling at less expense. . . . 

Jinie 1. — Again we were favored by the 
arrival of a small canoe from Juneau, bring- 
ing some of our letters. We were rejoiced 
to see your letter, as we always are. . . . 

We were enabled to send Louis and Til- 
lie to the upper village on Saturday. They 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 21/ 

will fix themselves up as comfortably as 
possible in the large house until I can get 
some way to send them more comfortable 
things. Having left their small cook-stove 
at Juneau, they must camp until it is sent 
up. I told Louis to start a garden, and 
while his food is growing he can work at 
the house. 

Our people are still fishing, and we have 
but two scholars — one the faithful Willis. 
It will not be long, however, before the 
children will return, as the small fish are 
leaving. 

No, we have not been burned out nor 
removed by a tornado ; we have been 
slightly rocked by an earthquake. It only 
made the windows rattle a little. The house 
was slightly jarred by the breaking of a 
glacier on what is called the Shooting 
Mountain, on the Chilcat side, a little 
above the Davidson glacier. . . . 

June 11, 1883. — I am unable to finish as 
I wanted to do. A canoe goes to Juneau 
to-day. I can manage to get from one 
room to another, and that is about all I can 
do ; I have now been sick for a little over 



2l8 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

a week. My right hand and arm are swol- 
len to twice the natural size. Mrs. Willard 
is a little better. 

Your brother in Christ, 

Eugene S. Willard. 

Chilcat Mission Manse, 

Haines, Alaska, June 29, 1SS2. 

Rev. Sheldon Jackson, D. D. — 

Dear Brother: We are still prisoners, 
but I rejoice to say that I have the use of 
my hands — at least, for a little while at a 
time — and my husband can walk, though 
slowly and feebly. It has been indeed a 
dark time ; for many days we thought the 
end had come for us. Before I was able 
to move myself Mr. Willard hurt his hand 
digging in the garden ; it at once took such 
a malignant form that it seemed beyond all 
human means — at least, in this country — to 
save his life ; we gave up hope, but not ef- 
fort, faith and prayer, and God blessed us. 
While we both lay prostrate our only aid* 
— the little ten-year-old Indian girl — was 

* The whole family were dying for want of suitable food, and 
were soon after rescued by a steamer sent from Sitka for their 
relief. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 219 

taken with scarlet-fever, and in a few days 
after our baby Carrie also. To save her 
life we had to exert all our strenorth and 
skill. My arms were made strong to hold, 
bathe and pack her ; her father drew us 
with one hand from the bed to the stove 
on a rocking-chair. We had been unable 
to get ourselves any warm, good food for 
so long that I think we should at last have 
perished all together with exhaustion if 
Mr. and Mrs. Dickinson had not come to 
our aid and offered us Jack long enough to 
cook us something each day ; and when he 
left them and us after a few days, Mr. Dick- 
inson very kindly finished the week cook- 
ing for us himself. The children are both 
nearly well now, and we are all gaining. 
Mr. Willard had intended croine to the 
upper village to-day, taking a man with him 
to dress his hand and cook for him — for he 
is desperate — but Louis and Tillie came 
down to-day, very blue and homesick, I 
fear, though they are very well and have had 
plenty to do. Their school even now num- 
bers between fifty and sixty ; they have put 
in a garden, and Mr. Willard had told Louis 



220 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

to get out his shingles and logs as fast as 
he could, but of this latter work I believe 
he has done nothino-. The Indians have 
taken possession of the large house given 
to the mission, and are g-oinof to tear it en- 
tirely down to build up new as a monument 
to the dead. Shat-e-ritch has told us re- 
peatedly that it will then be the mission 
house, but it seems that he has nothine 
whatever to say about it, and the other 
Indians say that when it is finished they 
will have rent for it. 

But how are we to get anything from 
Juneau ? We must have a boat of our 
own. We have had no freight since last 
fall, except our piano. The Favorite 
brought us not even a letter last time. 
Our potatoes and other provisions have 
been lying so long in the warehouse there 
that I suppose by this time they are past 
use, while we suffer for want of them and 
pay high rates of storage. It drives my hus- 
band almost wild, especially since he can- 
not work. He paces the floor, and I scarce- 
ly know whether he has greater distress 
of mind or body. He says he " may as 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 221 

well be locked up in a box." But " No, 
no !" I tell him ; " it is not so bad, because 
we are free to teach Christ to these people. 
They cannot shut our mouths as long as 
the spirit is kept in our bodies, and you 
know we expected trials." We have not 
been able to get a canoe at any price, even 
when we were dying, as we thought, for 
medicine, which might have been had only 
seventy-five miles away. Fish in their sea- 
son are more to the Indians than anything 
else, and all are using their boats. We 
feel a good deal " cast down," you see, but 
oh, " not in despair." God will take care 
of his work here ; we are sure of that. We 
are not necessary to its success. If we 
should not be spared to do it, I will believe 
that it is because some one else can carry 
it on better; but oh how I thank him for 
the privilege of doing at least one year's 
hard work in Chilcat ! I want to tell you 
that I do feel sometimes as though my 
course were almost run. If it should be 
and I am not permitted to write you again, 
I want to give you these words : Please do 
not feel, nor allow the Board to feel that 



222 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

they made a mistake in sending us, even 
though it was but for a year or two. God 
sent us here, and when he calls us away 
our special work will be done, however 
imperfectly. Oh how my heart yearns 
over this people that God will send his 
Spirit among them mightily and establish 
his work ! Would that I mioht see the 
church and Home here, and, more than 
all, some fruit of souls saved! but I know 
that all will be well. 

Though our path has led toward the 
valley of shadows, yet the days have been 
long and bright. On the 21st of June the 
sun rose at quarter of three a. m., setting 
at quarter after nine p. m. Of course the 
darkest hour was only like early twilight ; 
so that " even the nitrht is liofht about us." 
Carrie M. Willard. 

To the Presbytei'ian Sabbath-School of East 
Springfield, New York. 

Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, July iS, 1882. 

My Dear Friends : Since last quarter 
God has been giving us very different 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 223 

work from that of previous times, calling 
us to bear Instead of to do, and I have been 
wondering whether or not I should let you 
see the missionary's cloudland as well as 
his castles. 

You know Jesus said, "Take up your 
cross and follow me." We did not leave 
ours in Pennsylvania when we came as 
missionaries to this remote place, where 
there are neither doctors, nurses nor med- 
icines. We have all been very sick, near 
unto death ; and down among those shad- 
ows where my husband, little Carrie and 
myself traveled together, yet apart, true 
and precious to us proved the Master's 
words, " I am with you " and " My grace is 
sufficient for you." 

If I am unable to send you a full and 
satisfactory letter this time, you will now 
understand why, and excuse me. I have 
not gained good physical strength, and my 
husband is entirely disabled from writing, 
or in any way using his right hand. It still 
requires much attention and is painful. . . . 

Our people, so impatient of the long win- 
ter and really needing food, lost no time in 



224 T.IFE IN ALASKA. 

getting to their old haunts as soon as the 
small fish began to run, in April. We had 
long hoped to be the possessors of some 
sort of a boat in time to enable us to be- 
gin touring when the people did. This 
hope not being realized, we were fortunate 
enough to secure passage on the last Sat- 
urday in April in Chief Don-a-wok's canoe, 
bound for Nauk Bay, whither the people 
had pfone that week for herrino-. Leavinof 
here, as we did, with the ground still cov- 
ered with snow and no sign of spring, 
we were a little surprised to find there 
not more than a foot of snow, and in many 
places none at all, but little tiny wild plants 
and blossoms erowinof. I wish I could show 
you just how beautiful it looked. We came 
first upon the little bay where the people 
were tented near the shore in booths made 
of fir- and spruce-boughs, with here and 
there a sail-cloth hung in fantastic fashion. 
More important to the Indians than these 
were the fish-booths, or frames, upon which 
were already hanging the herring by hun- 
dreds of dozens, drying in the sun. These 
were erected upon the verge of the dark- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 225 

green wood, above and beyond which rose 
the snow-topped mountains, while imme- 
diately in front sloped the clean gravel- 
beach to the glassy surface, that was fairly 
alive with canoes. 

This little nook one comes upon very 
suddenly, so hidden is it in approaching by 
high, precipitous rocks covered with a wild 
growth of pine. Here on the rocks, among 
the sighing trees and overhanging the busy 
camp on the beach, we pitched our mission 
tent, intent on fishing too — for souls. 

As we entered the bay it lay in pro- 
found silence except for the splashing of 
the waterfalls among the rocks, the dip- 
ping of our own paddles, the startled cry 
of eagles and the constant screech of sea- 
gulls, the number of which I have never 
seen equaled elsewhere. They filled the 
air and covered the water like monstrous 
flakes in a heavy snow-storm, . , . 

This has been our only Sabbath out in 
all this summer so far, for after that Don- 
a-wok did not come back, and there was 
neither boat nor man to be hired on any 
terms. Soon after, our native teachers, 

15 



226 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

Tillie Paul and her husband, Louis, from 
the McFarland Home, at Fort Wrangell, 
came to take charge of a school in the 
upper village. We were anxious to get 
the work started there, particularly as Mr. 
Willard had decided to put them up a log 
house, in which they might be independent 
of the people and more secure in case of 
further hoochinoo trouble; but here came 
in our boat-trouble again. With so much 
to be done all over our field, we were tied 
hand and foot for weeks. When passage 
was found for our teachers, the small 
amount of lumber we had to put into the 
house was still obliged to wait, and has 
done so until to-day, when a volunteer 
canoe has come from the upper village 
to take it, and to-morrow my husband 
expects to go up with it and get the build- 
ing under way. 

The people have treated the new teach- 
ers very kindly, furnishing them, free of 
charge, all the fish they could use, and 
giving them two barrels in which to pack 
salted fish for winter use, besides many 
other favors, saying they will not allow 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 22/ 

the teachers to starve as the minister has 
to do down here. 

A good school has been started with 
from sixty to seventy scholars even in this 
busy time. Mr. Willard expects to visit it 
and preach once a month ; he would have 
done so even if he had had to climb the 
trackless mountains, I believe, had it not 
been for our long illness. . . . 

We have had word from our secretary, 
Mrs. F. E. H. Haines, that a white lady- 
teacher will be sent us some time during this 
summer. We are so happy in anticipation ! 
but how she is to reach here we cannot 
tell. We pray God to take care of her 
and bring her safely through all the wild 
perils of the way. 

Now I must speak of that dear project 
of mine mentioned in a former letter — a 
Home for our Chilcat children. I wish I 
could tell vou that it is beofun, or that we 
had even five dollars in hand to pay for 
twenty logs, and we should order them to- 
night, for many of the men are now free for 
a little while. We dare not go on without 
the money to pay for each day's work as 



228 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

soon as it is done, and die Indians want it 
in silver, which is almost impossible to ob- 
tain here. It could be sent us, however, 
by our friends, in registered packages, by 
mail, and should be sewed up in strong 
bags covered with paper. 

Some time agfo we received a letter 
which gave us some of the most thankful 
joy we ever knew. It told us that the 
ladies of your church had devoted a gift 
to the Home. It was the earnest of God's 
blessing upon our effort to build up such a 
Home, and we thanked him for the whole 
gift, because we knew it was sure to come. 
We had thought of starting the boys' de- 
partment first, because that could be soon- 
est made self-supporting; but with that wel- 
come letter from you came another also, 
from a personal friend long unheard from, 
who proposed to support a girl in our 
Home, laboring under the impression that 
we were in charge of one similar to that 
at Fort Wrangell. The money had already 
been forwarded to the Board for one year's 
support. Another letter came from anoth- 
er State, to the same effect, and also in- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 229 

forming us that the McFarland Home was 
too full to admit any more. This all seemed 
to us plain providence ; forty dollars toward 
the Home and the support of the two girls 
already paid into the treasury. We could 
not do as well for the boys this year ; a 
larger guarantee would be necessary for a 
beginning there. It was not quite so plain 
how we should take care of the children 
until the plan would develop enough to 
enable us to employ a matron ; but God 
gave us a thought for that, and we deter- 
mined to oret loofs and what shingles we 
could with the Springfield money ; and if 
no more came, we could take out some of 
our own windows for this year, and build a 
good log house of four rooms, which in the 
future would be but a wing of the great 
Home. As to fitting it up, although we 
have but little, we would eladly eive the 
use of such things as we have until means 
are provided for the purchase of more for 
the Home. 

This decided upon, I sat down and wrote 
the whole plan to Mrs. Haines, asking if 
she could send us a teacher with sufficient 



230 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

consecration and physical strength to take 
charge of the few girls whose support should 
be secured for this year ; so we are waiting 
and praying. Of all things, I should love 
to take the care of these children myself, 
but I have already the work of three per- 
sons, with only the strength of one wee 
bit of a woman ; but we hope to be all one 
in the good work, and helpfully and loving- 
ly work together for good. If we could 
only begin ! It is so important it should 
be soon, not only that all may be in readi- 
ness before the setting in of our early win- 
ter, but because time means life, purity and 
salvation to these girls. One of our best 
and most earnest orirls in seekino- truth has 
been shut up in a little dark hole these three 
months. If we could promise to provide 
entirely for her, I do not know but that 
her parents would give her up to us, 
though their custom requires her to be 
kept in that dark solitude for two years. 
The interior country promises much in 
gold. The excitement on the coast and in 
all the mining region of the territory is, we 
are told, becomincr intense, and there is 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 23 I 

prophesied a great rush very soon, with 
our mission station as the centre. A par- 
ty of ten miners from Arizona passed in 
a week ago. They make nineteen who are 
connected ; the others have been in the in- 
terior a year. We hear that a company is 
coming up from Juneau, and that a boat is 
being fitted out at San Francisco and go- 
ing around to meet these nineteen on the 
head-waters of the Yukon. That river is 
navigable from its mouth to within sev- 
enty-five miles of us. . . . 

Oh that we had seen the Home started 
first ! . . . Carrie M. Willard. 

Sheldon Jackson Institute, 

Sitka, Alaska, August 14, 1882. 

My Dear Parents: Of course you won- 
der how and why we are here. It would 
be impossible lor you to realize why, for 
you could not understand what our necessi- 
ties and our sufferings have been ; and I am 
so glad that you cannot! There seemed 
to be no help on the earth, and, though 
we cried, the heavens seemed brass ; but, 
thank God ! we were able to say, though 



232 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

it was with blind, numb hearts, "Though 
he slay me, yet will I trust him." 

When I thouMit our little Carrie mio^ht 
be left alone, I wrote a note to Mrs. Austin 
asking her to keep our baby, if need should 
be, until she could be taken to you. Hei 
ereat, loving mother-heart was roused at 
once, and sleeplessly and prayerfully she 
sought how she might help us. At last, 
with Mr. Brady, they succeeded in getting 
the Rose, which belongs to Mr. Brady's 
partners, to run up to Chilcat to carry our 
freight and bring us down, we paying the 
bare running expenses of the vessel — one 
hundred and twenty-five dollars. Mr. 
Brady and Mrs. Austin came and man- 
aged everything — put our goods in, packed 
our trunks and made it possible for us to 
come. As it was, even with the greatest care 
and providentially fine weather, it seemed 
as though we should hardly reach Sitka 
alive ; but here we are, and such nursing, 
such food and such care we could know 
nowhere else save with you. We were 
all greatly reduced both from suffering 
and want of food. 



LTFE IN ALASKA. 233 

Dear little Carrie o-ets all the milk she 
wants now, and already her cheeks are 
growing- round and rosy, while I am dis- 
tressed only at what they oblige me to eat 
of the meat for which I was dying, and the 
beautiful fresh berries, which are so deli- 
cious ! I am sure I shall soon regain all 
that I had lost, and be strong as ever and 
ready for any duty that may be given to 
me. God is very good to us, and I long 
to be again able to serve him. 

Mr. Brady knew nothing about the bar- 
rel of clothing, and, although it had been in 
the warehouse since May, it was the only 
thing of all our goods which they did not 
bring up on the Rose; and it was just what 
we wanted here. It was opened the day 
after we came, and almost overwhelmed us 
with gladness. I cannot tell you anything 
about it at all, and you will never know 
how precious and timely your goodness 
was till you all reach heaven. I wish I had 
the strength to write to each one who help- 
ed to give us so much comfort and happi- 
ness. We think the whole contents of the 
barrel perfect ; but I must wait. We do 



234 I IFE IN ALASKA. 

not know when we will get back home to 
Chilcat — before many months, we hope, 
though mother Austin says it is impossi- 
ble for Baby and me to go this winter in 
the little open boat, and that is the only 
way now to be seen ; but the Lord, who 
hath ever been our helper, will provide 
all thinors needful. . . . 

Carrie M. Willard. 

Sheldon Jackson Institute, 

Sitka, Alaska, October 3, 1882. 

Dear Parents : The Wachusette will sail 
for San Francisco to-day, having been re- 
lieved by the man-of-war Adams. The 
captain of the latter, as also of the former, 
is favorable to missions, and declares him- 
self a friend to the missionaries. 

We are in doubt as to just how we are 
to return to our field, as the steamer Rose 
has met with an accident, having run on a 
rock, and the owners are in doubt as to 
whether they will fix her up again. 

Our little Fred will be three weeks old 
to-morrow ; he weighed nine pounds. Lit- 
tle Carrie is alniost wild with joy over 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 235 

her "baby b'lov-a H'litz." She kisses us 
"Good-night" and goes away to sleep in 
another room by herself, happy in seeing 
Baby safe with me. She is distressed 
sometimes lest somebody take him away. 

We are to have communion before Dr. 
Sheldon Jackson goes back, when he is to 
baptize little Fred. . . . 

Oh, my mother, I have wanted you ! but 
the Lord knows it all, and he has been with 
us, and these dear friends have shown us 
all loving-kindness. Only God can repay 
them. 

What we would do without Miss Bessie 
Matthews now here, I am sure I do not 
know. Dear Mrs. Austin has congestion 
of the retina and is in orreat danger of 
going blind. Oh what she has done for 
me and mine ! It can never be repaid in 
this world. 

October I4. — In regard to the publishing 
of the letters, I am persuaded to permit it. 
They are so imperfect — were often written 
with Baby on my lap, and more often with 
the Indians about me asking all sorts of 
questions — that I would prefer to take bits 



236 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

from them, adding more and better ; but 
they are wanted soon, and there will not 
be time. . . . Carrie M. Willard. 



Sheldon Jackson Institute, 

Sitka, Alaska, October 24, 1882. 

My Dear Parents : Resting on one el- 
bow, I am trying to write a little to send 
by the U. S. S. Corwin on its way south 
from the polar sea. I am sitting up part 
of the time now. . . . 

It does seem as though God had sent 
our troubles to make our cup larger, and 
then ordered it refilled with joy. " Not 
our duty to go back again to that dreadful 
country," you say ? No, not till God opens 
the way to go, I try to comfort myself 
and gain patience and strength for biding 
his time with the thought that he best knows 
what his work needs ; and when he sees 
us prepared and our work necessary, he 
will send a boat to take us home. And 
oh how gladly we will go ! The poor 
people have been so on our hearts ! they 
need us so much ! You write of them as 
" dreadful people," and in one sense they 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 237 

are ; but it is their darkness, their bhnd- 
ness. And who hath made us to differ? 
Surely, He whom we long to show to 
them. 

October 30, — They are having great trou- 
ble in Kill-is-noo, about halfway between 
here and Chilcat, where the North-West 
Trading Company have their chief post, 
store and great whale-fishery and oil-works. 
While they were putting up the wharf in 
the spring, one of the Indians was accident- 
ally killed by the falHng of a tree. As he 
was in the company's employ, of course, 
in the eyes of Indian law, they were respon- 
sible, and a payment of two hundred blank- 
ets was demanded. The company agreed 
to pay forty, but Captain Merriman, of 
the man-of-war Adams, ordered that no 
payment should be made. 

Thines have jrone on, until Sabbath be- 
fore last, when the launch and whale-boat 
were out after a whale, a harpoon-bomb 
burst, and one of the Indians — a medicine- 
man — was killed. In a very short time 
about three hundred of the tribe had 
surrounded the boats, which they captured, 



238 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

taking the white men prisoners. The cap- 
tain of the launch made out to send a Hne 
of advice to Captain Vanderbilt, in the vil- 
lage, that they would take the Favorite too. 
The note was carried by one of the Indians 
who had been in the boat with the medi- 
cine-man and escaped to the woods from 
his people. Captain Vanderbilt at once 
conveyed his family to the Favorite, and, 
leavinof in the niofht, ran down here for the 
man-of-war. Arriving the next evening, he 
left his family and started back at twelve 
o'clock the same night, accompanied by the 
Corwin, in charge of Captain Merriman and 
his force. Four hundred blankets were de- 
manded for taking the whites prisoners. 
The Indians said they would not pay. The 
captain gave the people two hours to re- 
move their things, then commanded the 
guns to fire ; and away went the village, 
all but four houses which he wished saved; 
forty canoes were broken. He said " if he 
was called there to settle any more such 
troubles there would not be a man left to 
tell there ever was such a tribe." The 
effect of this on our people will be of the 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 239 

Utmost moment to us ; but the Lord is God 
and will care for his own work. 

Dr. Sheldon Jackson was here four weeks, 
and in that time they had the immense 
Home-buildlnor almost under roof. It is 
a solid building of one hundred by fifty 
feet, in a beautiful location. On the Sab- 
bath before he left we had our first com- 
munion since leaving home, and he bap- 
tized our precious baby " Frederick Eugene 
Austin." It seemed to me that I had hard- 
ly known the meaning of communion be- 
fore. Here, in the uttermost end of the 
earth, a handful of believers, in a little 
upper room, had sweet fellowship with 
God and with his children throughout the 
world. . . . Carrie M. Willard. 

Sheldon Jackson Institute, 

Sitka, Alaska, November 22, 1SS2. 

Dear Parents : I sent you word by the 
last mail of our little Carrie's illness, be- 
cause we had no reason to hope that we 
should not have the sadder news to tell 
you this time, and I thought it would be 
such a shock. For several days the doc- 



240 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

tor gave us no hope, but God has been 
most merciful to us : she is slowly getting 
well. She is not yet able to walk and is 
still very thin and white, but living and 
evidently getting well. 

I had only begun to sit up for a few 
minutes at a time when she was taken so 
suddenly and dangerously ill. The doctor, 
who had most providentially been sent here 
just a few days before, was very attentive. 
Two others were here temporarily on the 
government vessels, and with them he con- 
sulted several times. As it seemed, she 
would surely have died without this aid ; 
but, you see, God gave all that was neces- 
sary, and oh how our hearts go out to him 
for all his loving-kindness ! 

As to our oroinof back to Chilcat, we feel 
very certain that our work is there ; and 
surely God has most signally revealed his 
strong arm in our behalf. Has he not kept 
us through everything? It is not at all 
probable that we shall ever again be ex- 
posed to the trials and sufferings which 
we have endured ; at any rate, God is able 
to bring us through. We will be very 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 24 1 

happy to go back when he opens the way 
for us. 

The hardest thing about it is in regard 
to food for the children. Of course, there 
we have no fresh meat, eo-crs or milk. 
Baby Fred is doing well on this cow's 
good milk ; I do not like the thought of 
taking it from him, but he is such a strong, 
healthy little fellow he will not miss it as 
much as will his little sister. We have 
sent for imperial granum and Ridge's baby- 
food, and Mr. Willard will try to have ven- 
ison sent from Juneau through the winter. 

Haines is just being made a post-office, 
through the efforts of Dr. Sheldon Jackson, 
and Mr. Willard is to be postmaster ; so 
we shall likely have a mail every month, 
and after we gret our steam-launch thinofs 
will be very different. We do appreciate 
your efforts to gain that for us, and thank 
you so much ! 

Another of God's great mercies to us 
was his sending dear Bessie Matthews just 
when he did. She has been everything in 
this household. 

Mrs. Austin has almost lost the use of 

16 



242 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

her eyes. For more than a month the doc- 
tor has not allowed her to do anything, and 
Miss Matthews has been both hands and 
eyes to her, besides sharing in the nursing. 
Of all the unselfish people I have known, 
my mother, Mrs. Austin and Bessie Mat- 
thews stand at the head of the list. 

Did I tell you that when dear Mother 
Austin heard of our sickness she was de- 
termined to come to us in a canoe? — a dis- 
tance of over two hundred miles, in travers- 
ing which many and many a canoe is lost. 
And since we have been here her devotion 
and love have never dimmed day or night. 
No money could ever repay it, and I greatly 
long to be able to do something for her. , . . 
Our Chilcat Home is surely to be built. . . . 
Carrie M, Willard. 

To the Sabbath- School of the Presbyterian 
Church of East Springfeld, Neiv York. 

Sheldon Jackson Institute, 

Sitka, Alaska, November 17, 1882. 

My Dear Friends: I think you must 
have heard already of our long-continued 
trials in sickness, as well as our great joy 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 243 

over a beautiful new baby-boy, whom we 
call Fred. He came to us on the 13th day 
of September, just the day after that pre- 
cious barrel came from you — the barrel 
about which I was too ill to know anything 
for six weeks. Then we had a grand open- 
ing-day, and we wished, as you did, that 
you could have been partakers with us of 
that feast. There were some tears shed, 
but I need not tell you that they were not 
for grief. 

I was still unable to sit up any, and, as 
her papa unpacked the barrel in my room, 
our little two-year-old Carrie trotted back 
and forth, bringing me the things to look 
at. She stood on tiptoe, trying to peer 
into the treasure-house, and as one by 
one the articles were lifted to her sieht 
she clapped her little hands before seizing 
them, then ran with them to me, her face 
all aglow and all the way calling, " Mam- 
ma ! Oh, oh, mamma ! See ! Oh, oh !" 
and her papa's and mamma's pleasure 
was just as sincere as hers. 

All the way from little Grace Robinson's 
blocks and Joel Rathbun's baby-mittens to 



244 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

the dear old grandmother's precious green 
flannel, from the advertising cards to that 
great beautiful unabridged Webster, every- 
thing was full of beauty and grace to us, so 
rich had they been made by your love. We 
thank you a thousand times, and are still 
your debtors in love. I should like to 
speak to each dear giver and of each 
gift individually, but it is impossible to 
do so now. 

That glad opening-day, so full of joy to 
our little Carrie, was, I believe, the last day 
she was able to be up. During my long 
illness there had been no physician here, 
but at this time there were three, or we 
think our precious child could not have 
lived throuQ-h her terrible attack. For 
days we watched and nursed her, not 
knowinof what hour would be the last of 
that bright life with us ; but God spared 
her, and she is now slowly recovering, 
though still weak as a little babe and 
very thin and white. 

Of course, I am worn with much suffer- 
ing and long watching ; so please pardon 
if I write but a dull letter. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 245 

Our " Home " is not begun, and our 
hearts are full of sadness to think of our 
poor people so long without us. We are 
so happy and grateful for the deep and un- 
expected interest that our Home-project has 
created, and for the generous responses 
to our call for means. We have been in- 
formed of the receipt by the Woman's Ex- 
ecutive Committee of Home Missions of 
nearly one thousand dollars for this pur- 
pose, and you know that we have the prom- 
ise of more. Since this is the case, and we 
have been prevented from beginning a lit- 
tle and early Home, we are hoping to hear 
of further contributions — enough to justify 
our beginning, in the early spring, a build- 
inor to cost not above four thousand dol- 
lars. To be able to accomplish this next 
summer we must know that every cent is 
certain, in time to send below to Oreeon 
and have the lumber come up on the spring 
steamer. Our building, as we have planned 
it, will be forty by sixty feet, for both boys 
and girls, and will cost so much because 
freights are about double those to Sitka. 
The money sent to the Board should be 



246 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

plainly and emphatically labeled ''For the 
building of the Chile at Ho vie!' 

Dr. Sheldon Jackson came up on the 
September steamer to superintend the 
building of the new Sitka Home, bring- 
ing with him Miss Bessie L. Matthews, 
of Monmouth, Illinois, to take charge of 
our school in Haines. When our Home 
is in full running-order, we will have an- 
other teacher, and Miss Matthews will be 
its worthy matron ; so you must know and 
love her henceforth as a member of your 
missionary family. Now she awaits our 
return, when she will accompany us and 
begin school-work ; but surely God sent her 
when she came here, for what we all should 
have done without her I do not know, as 
good Mrs, Austin has had sickness in her 
own family, and her eyes have been so 
badly affected that the physician forbade 
her doing anything. 

Dr. Jackson also brought Miss Kate A. 
Rankin as an assistant matron to Mrs. A. 
R. McFarland at Fort Wrangell, and Miss 
Clara A. Gould to take charge of the school 
at Jackson, under her brother, who recently 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 2\'J 

entered that field. He and Mr. McFarland 
(who married Miss Dunbar at Fort Wran- 
gell) were laymen ordained for this work. 

We have now five Presbyterian ministers 
in Alaska — Mr. John G. Brady, who came 
out to the Sitka mission in 1878, but is now 
eneaeed in mercantile business here, Mr. 
S. H. Youno-, who has charge of the Wran- 
gell work, my husband and the two new 
comers first mentioned. This number 
enables us to have a Presbytery, and at 
our first meeting we hope to have Mr. Aus- 
tin, of this station, ordained. Although he 
was commissioned by the Board as a lay- 
teacher, he has been, and is, doing most 
excellently a minister's work here. Our 
meeting is to convene at Sitka, as it is the 
most central station, being about two hun- 
dred and seventy-five miles south of Haines, 
one hundred and fifty miles north-west of 
Fort Wrano;ell, and about two hundred and 
seventy-five miles north of Jackson. Hoon- 
yah (Boyd) where Mr. Styles, a son-in-law 
of Mr. Austin, taught last year, is about 
halfway to Haines and north of Sitka. 
Haines is by steamer one hundred and five 



248 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

miles, by canoe only seventy-five miles, from 
Juneau. 

We have had no word from our field 
since August. Mrs. Dickinson, our inter- 
preter, had a two months' vacation from 
that time, which she has spent in Oregon. 

Our Sunday services are conducted 
through an interpreter, but our teaching 
is not. We are learning Kling-get just 
as fast as we can, and hope to be able to 
do without an interpreter in a few months 
more ; had it not been for our long sick- 
ness, we would now be able to do so. As 
it is, we communicate with the people ordi- 
narily without trouble. Of course, in the 
school we teach English, and the little folks 
pick it up rapidly, though they are very dif- 
fident about trying to use it, because they 
are so keenly sensitive to ridicule ; the 
slightest smile at a mistake will bring on 
such a fit of sulks as utterly to preclude 
the possibility of another sound from that 
child. When I eain a little more streneth, 
I must tell you some other things about our 
people. 

Before another quarter we hope the Mas- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 249 

ter will send us back to our own work in 
Chilcat, but by what means we do not 
know. Carrie M. Willard. 

To the SabbatJi-School of the Presbyterian 
Church of East Springfield, New York. 

Sheldon Jackson Institute, 

Sitka, Alaska, December 21, 1882. 

My Dear Friends : To-day I shall try to 
fulfill my promise of writing you something 
further regarding our Chilcat people. And 
first it shall be respecting their belief as to 
death and the future life and their mode of 
disposing of the dead. 

With them, as with us, man is an immor- 
tal soul, living for ever in bliss or distress. 
Their heaven they call " the beautiful, beau- 
tiful island," being surrounded by a green 
water so vast and limitless that no spirit 
can find its way to rest and happiness. 
Even to the outer edge — to the earth-side — 
of this Indian's eternity it is a long, weary 
way, for the comfort and successful issue 
of which great preparations are made. 
They destroy at a burial-feast the savings 
of a lifetime and rob the living to heap 



250 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

upon the dead. As soon as it becomes 
evident or probable that a person is about 
to die all effort at savina- the life is o-iven 
up and every energy bent toward ensur- 
ing a comfortable journey. 

Last winter, when a little child was sick 
and suffering greatly from exposure and 
inadequate clothing, I insisted on its pa- 
rents bringing out blankets and keeping 
the baby warm, but " they had none " — 
"they were poor;" neither could they buy 
any food for it. After keeping it in my own 
house and tending it till it grew much bet- 
ter, I dressed it in Qfood warm clothinof of 
my own baby's — woolen stockings, skirt, 
etc. ; then, charging the mother that she 
must keep it so dressed, that its life de- 
pended on it, I allowed her to take it home. 
At midnight there was a knock on our win- 
dow, and, springing up, I found the father 
of the child in areat distress, beofSfinof me 
to come, as they thought the child was dy- 
ing. A few moments more and I was with 
the little one, who lay in his mother's arms 
unconscious and scarcely breathing. It 
was evidently congestion of the lungs, from 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 25 I 

which he had no strength to rally. They 
had stripped him upon going home, and 
folded away the garments in a treasure- 
box, to be in readiness if he should die. 

When I saw him next, it was in full equip- 
ment for the journey. The small face was 
painted with vermilion, the head turbaned 
with a bright handkerchief, and every arti- 
cle of good clothing he possessed, together 
with what I had given him, was on him now; 
and, besides, they had made mittens and 
tied them on his hands. In a little bao- huno- 
about his neck were charms for his safety 
and a paper containing a quantity of red 
powder for use on the way. The body was 
placed in a sitting posture, with the knees 
drawn up against the breast and held in 
place by a bandage. Then over and around 
all were beautiful white woolen blankets 
enough to make any mother's heart com- 
fortable. 

The body always sits thus in state until 
all the arrangements are perfected for its 
burning, which takes place at sunrise. On 
the night before, the friends of the tribe are 
called toor^ether at the house of the deceased, 



252 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

when the roll of rank is called, the highest 
chief being called first. One man takes his 
position close to the great blazing fire in 
the centre of the room. The logs are piled 
together for this social fire in loo-house 
fashion, four-square and three or four high, 
the flames sometimes reachino- even through 
and above the roof. He has beside him a 
large wooden tray of tobacco, from which 
he fills the pipe- bowls of all the friends. 
One by one, as they are filled, a little boy 
lights and starts them, then hands them to 
the waiting circle. They are smoked and 
exchanged again and again in silence, ex- 
cept for the occasional slow and solemn 
speech of some member, which elicits now 
and then a monotonous refrain from an- 
other, all retaining their seats. Then the 
chiefs with wooden staves beat time on the 
floor, while the men sing a wild and weird 
strain, into which, ever and anon, the wo- 
men, with their blackened faces and close- 
cut hair, burst with shrill cries, which fall 
again into a low dying wail. At sunrise 
the body, which has been wrapped, and 
wrapped again, in the best of blankets, is 




CHILCAT MAN IN NATIVE COSTUME, WITH WOODEN HAT^ 
STONE MORTAR AND CARVED WOODEN STAFF. 



from a Drawing by Mrs. Willard. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 255 

raised by ropes made of skin dirough the 
opening in die roof, as no Indian would 
dare to carry a dead body through the 
door. Some of the other tribes take out a 
board from the back of the house, and after 
removing through it the body a dog is led 
through, that any attending evil may fall 
upon it. 

The cremation takes place at some dis- 
tance from the houses. What stands for 
their burying-ground is usually of a rolling 
character — that is, on a little hill — and pre- 
sents a peculiar appearance, a village of 
miniature houses, each built on four high 
stakes. These houses are the receptacles 
of the box into which have been put the 
bones and ashes of the burned body, and 
are never opened save by the " witches," 
who leave no outward traces of their visits, 
and by the friends of some " bewitched " 
person, who search for the misplaced bone 
that has caused the trouble. 

On the nitrht after the burning of the 
body is celebrated the " Co-ek-y " — the 
feast for the dead. Another tribe is in- 
vited. Red paint is used with the black. 



256 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

There is much noisy music and dancingr. 
Great quantities of berries and salmon-oil 




TOTEM DISH OF CINNAMON BEAR OR HOOTS TRIBE, WITH 

TABLE MAT. 

Fro/i! a Draiviitg by ISIrs. U illard. 

are brought out in huge dishes and placed 
on the floor before the guests (or among 
them, rather, as every bowl is surrounded) ; 
then, as they eat together, wooden dishes 
of similar food and of flour, sugar, and 
whatever else they are able to obtain, are 
placed in the fire and burned ; so that, be- 
ing thus spiritualized, as they think, it may 
be partaken of by the spirit of their friend, 
so lately freed from the body by fire, and 
which is still hoverinof about before start- 
ing on the journey. After this the music 
and dancing are again resumed, and then 
comes the display for which the entire fam- 
ily has been saving and gathering — it may 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 



257 



be, many years — and for which they gen- 
erally suffer in absolute want for years to 
come. Great heaps of blankets, all new 
and good, webs of cloth, muslin and calico. 




^^M^^^'"^' 



CHILCAT SHAWL MADE FROM THE WOOL OF THE WILD MOUN- 
TAIN GOAT AND COVERED WITH TOTEMIC EMBLEMS. 

are brought out and laid before a man 
appointed to dispose of them. With two 
assistants he cuts and tears all these things 
into small strips. This being done with a 

17 



258 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

peculiar carved and inlaid hook kept for 
that purpose, they are distributed among 
the people, who treasure them as precious 
possessions, and by sewing them together 
construct a garment after the style of 
Joseph's coat of many colors. Sometimes 
we see a coat made of three pieces obtained 
at different times, when the body will be 
striped red, yellow, purple and green, one 
sleeve of blue, the other of brown. Dresses 
are gotten up in the same unique fashion — 
it may be, of a dozen different patterns and 
colors. 

This feast ends the ceremonies, which, 
according to their belief, are participated 
in by the dead. Afterward, if the deceased 
be a male of high class, the heir or heiress 
must build a crreat dwelline-house with 
feasting and dancing, to stand an empty 
monument to the departed. 

To this prevailing custom there are no 
exceptions, save in the preserving of the 
bodies of the medicine-men, and in cases 
of drowning when the body cannot be re- 
covered. The bodies of medicine-men are 
never burned, because their spirits leave 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 



259 



the bodies only to enter new ones. It is 
thus that the " Kah-nauk-salute " (" medi- 




" MEDICINE-MEN " GRAVES. 



cine-man ") is born. If, after the death of 
an Indian doctor, a woman dreams that his 
spirit has entered her unborn child, or if 
a child is born with red hair or with curly 
hair, it is sacred from its birth, and its hair 
is inviolate always from shears or comb. 
After his death the body is held in terrible 
awe, and is wrapped in the best of every- 
thing. His face is painted with red, his 



26o LIFE IN ALASKA. 

hair powdered with eagle's down (which 
he used to a great extent in his incanta- 
tions), and at last he is bound in his wraps 
like a mummy and laid away in some wild 
rocky gorge, or in a cave which the waves 
have worn. 

There is always great virtue pertaining 
to the body of a medicine-man, and its 
presence is indispensable at the initiation 
of new doctors. I have been with the In- 
dians in passing by one of these sepulchres, 
and it is always with hushed tones and ges- 
tures of awe and terror that they speak of 
what it holds. If they have with them young 
children as they pass the haunted spot, a 
handful of down is held over the child and 
blown away, to carry off any evil influence 
that may have been cast upon it by the 
dark spirits that guard the place. 

More than any other form of death, more 
than the most excruciating torture, the In- 
dian dreads drowning. Going through the 
water, he is never utterly freed from the 
clogs of earth; he is unequipped for the 
journey through a land of mystery ; for 
ages he must wander hungry and cold, 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 26 1 

with scarcely a possibility of at last finding- 
the great green water which lies between 
every soul and heaven. When a soul has 
gained for itself the right to eternal happi- 
ness, it sees, upon approaching the great 
river, a canoe in waiting to convey it to 
the happy land ; a sure entrance and an 
everlasting security are assured. The wick- 
ed also gain the shore, but are doomed to 
eternal waiting. Carrie M. Willard. 

To the Ladies Home Mission Society, Schen- 
' ectady. New York. 

Sheldon Jackson Institute, 

Sitka, Alaska, November 29, 1882. 

My Dear Mrs. Potter: If ever I write 
you, you say. If ever I do not write after 
receiving such tokens of loving thought 
as those two packages from Schenectady 
proved to be, I shall not be myself. At 
any rate, I am so glad of that writing-pa- 
per which you so kindly sent ! We thank 
you, and through you wish to thank all the 
good people who had part in the good deed. 
It is only in circumstances like ours, cut off 
from home comforts, that Christian friend- 



262 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

ship can be appreciated at its full worth. 
Even the slightest tokens, when sent so 
far and received by us in our isolation and 
loneliness, bring with them a strange pow- 
er to warm and thrill our hearts. 

Would you truly like to hear how the 
bundles were opened? Well, it was in 
Sitka instead of in Chilcat, because we 
have had no way of getting home since 
our beautiful baby-boy came, in September. 

On the day after the steamer left, when 
Mr. Austin opened his box and brought to 
us our share of its contents, baby Fred lay 
asleep in his cradle, sick Carrie sat propped 
among her pillows, with her mamma close 
beside, while on the floor before us papa 
disclosed the treasures. The first thing 
which attracted my attention was the blue- 
and-white coverlet. It looked so familiar 
and home-like, for my own dear mother 
spun the yarn for and wove just such a one 
long before she was my mother ; and this is 
a fine specimen. I know its labor-cost well 
enough to appreciate its worth, and it will 
be additionally valuable to us. I know we 
shall be besieged for it by the covetous 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 263 

Chilcats, Next came the nice white bed- 
spread and sheets and pillowcases, the tow- 
els, the warm woolly blankets, etc., all of 
which, as they came to view, brought new 
exclamations of delight. Last of all we 
looked at the little things for baby Carrie, 
and I do wish that you all could have seen 
her as they were handed to her. Her 
pleasure was an ecstacy. She must have 
them on right away ; and when I had put 
on her the little blue dress, it would have 
added much to our pleasure if the good 
mother whose darling had first worn it 
could have seen mine wear it then. She 
is called a beautiful child, and I think she 
is, with her long sunny curls, big blue eyes 
and wonderful skin, and she looked so 
sweet in the perfectly-fitting little dress ! 
They are exactly the right size. Katch- 
keel-ah, our little Indian girl, was also 
thoroughly pleased with her mittens, while 
even the little black urchin who peeped in 
at the window had his share of the glad- 
ness. Let us all thank you again. 

We do not know how soon the way will 
be opened for our return home, but we 



264 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

hope it may be before long-. We are long- 
ing to be back with our own people. 

Have you heard that we are to have a 
Home for children at Haines ? It is to be 
built next summer, and I am going to tell 
you that we will need everything for it, from 
a piece of soap to curtains and carpet, from 
shoes to bonnets and capes. We are to 
have both boys and girls ; and when time 
and strength will permit, I shall be glad to 
tell you more of our plans and of our work. 
But for this time I must close. 

Gratefully and affectionately yours, 

Carrie M. Willard. 

Sheldon Jackson Institute, 

Sitka, Alaska, March 12, 1883. 

My Dear Friends: Why, yes indeed I 
will tell you about Sitka ! Did you think 
it was on Sitka Island ? I thought so once, 
but I have not been able to find it so out- 
side the geographies. I well remember 
trying, before we came to Alaska, to get 
its points by heart ; but the more I learned, 
the less I knew. 

I do hope that I shall not puzzle you 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 267 

further. Sitka is situated on a beautiful 
harbor bearinor the same name and in- 
denting the western coast of Baranoff Isl- 
and. Great mountains to the east and the 
north stand guard over the little town nest- 
lino- at their feet, shelterine it from the cold 
winds and snow that, blowing from the far 
icy inland, strike these old protectors and 
turn their stern heads white. Seaward, too, 
island fortifications thrown up in the long- 
ago shield this favored child-city from the 
rouo-hness of the waters. 

It is not cold here. At the foot of the 
mountains there is, indeed, enough ice on 
the little lake (whose waters, flowing down, 
keep turning the great wheel of the saw- 
mill in the town) to make skating — for 
some days, at least — during the short win- 
ter, and enough snow falls to make a hand- 
sled quite a pleasure on the long, smooth 
street. The small folks — ay, and the big 
ones too, I can testify — enjoy it greatly. The 
little Indians ride just like white boys, only — 
do you know ? — I've never seen them going 
" grinders." They do slide in every other 
way, I believe, and on every conceivable 



268 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

kind of sled ; but boxes, bits of board and 
shingles are the most fashionable. 

Alonzo Austin has quite a novel turn- 
out for this part of Alaska ; it is a little 
seated sleigh drawn by a big black dog, 
which he has nicely trained to the whip. 
This doof will run for a mile or two without 
seeming to grow tired. Not only that, but 
he really seems to enjoy the fun as much 
as anybody. Every one has to be quick 
about enjoying it, for it doesn't stay long. 
The ground may change in an hour from 
its native gray to the snowy white made 
gay with noisy children, and in an hour 
more all the snow may have vanished and 
the rain be pouring down. 

There is a o^reat deal of rain here. You 
know that in the States a foot and a half 
is about an average annual rainfall, but the 
rainfall of Sitka for the year 1882 was about 
eight and a half feet ; yet the humidity of 
the atmosphere is very much less than that 
of many portions of the United States where 
there is much less rain. If the people were 
good and cleanly and more careful about 
drainage, there is no reason why Sitka 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 



269 



should not be a healthful place. The con- 
ditions of healthfulness are here. 




MAIN STREET, SITKA, ALASKA. 



The town itself is a little old, tumble- 
down affair more remarkable for its mossy 



2fO LIFE IN ALASKA. 

Russian ruins than for anything else. And 
yet there is one feature made more strik- 
ingly prominent by these very things — a 
fact which is very sweet to Christians — 
that striking far beneath this heap of social 
rottenness and the decay of earthly splen- 
dor there is a root which, springing up, 
shall one day bear the white flower of im- 
mortal life, the fruit of glory to God. We 
saw the blade in the first little mission 
school started here, and which developed 
into the first Home for boys. The build- 
ing, which was a part of crumbling Rus- 
sia, was destroyed by fire in January of 
1882. And now we see not only a fresh 
green blade of promise, but the " ear," in 
the great new building for a hundred boys 
and girls which Dr. Sheldon Jackson erect- 
ed last summer. You, and those whom 
your means have sent out, work together 
with the Lord of the harvest for the filling 
of the " full corn in the ear." Let us labor 
faithfully and with prayer, that at the last 
there may be a great and joyous gather- 
ing in and rendering up of the precious 
grain. 




--\^ 'itoMifiiiyii 'iiiii'.i,'y,,,iiM;iU'uiijt 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 273 

The new mission biiildino- is at the ex- 
treme edge of town, with old Popoff Moun- 
tain behind, almost overhanging it. At the 
other end of the long town, in a part from 
which, during Russian rule, the main town 
was barricaded, is the native village, with 
its front open to the bay, and with a higher 
ridge of ground close behind, and which is 
almost as thickly built with little houses for 
the dead. As a natural barrier, great rocks 
push out from this ridge toward the bay, 
just at the entrance to the village ; and 
there, where rock and water fail to meet, is 
the builded barricade, with but a single 
opening into the smooth green common. 
The latter is now used for such out-door 
games as are played by the young people 
and for a parade-ground by the marines. 
It seems, however, to have been in the old 
days a park, whose picturesque music-stand 
still remains. But the trees, together with 
the pleasant cottage-residences occupied 
by the Russian officers, and which sur- 
rounded two sides of the park, were burned 
down long- ao^o. A stone wall on the third 
side, set with cannon, kept the law between 

18 



274 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

land and sea. Alono- the fourth side — and 
this just opposite the barricade — still stand 
the custom-house and the barracks, between 
which, guarded by mounted brass cannon, 
is the double gate entrance to the " castle," 
built on a hicrh rock overlookingf both town 
and harbor and reached by means of weari- 
some flights of stairs. This immense old 
log structure, with the arched windows of 
its hio-h-o-abled centre roof lookino- out to 
sea, is the third building which has occu- 
pied this rock- top. Of the others, the first 
was destroyed by fire ; the second, a brick 
building, by earthquake. But all three 
have been scenes of much magnificence 
as the residence of the ruling prince. The 
hewn loofs of this buildino- are fitted into 
each other like round-bottomed troughs, 
with moss and clay between, and are dove- 
tailed at the corners, through each of which 
passes a great copper bolt from roof to 
foundation. 

Durino- Russian reiofn Sitka was full of 
life and gayety, having, besides its prince's 
family, his suite, government officials with 
their families, and the military. There were 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 2/5 

also the officers of the Greek Church; for, as 
you know, many of its priests and bishops 
are members of the Russian army. The 
church at that time was rich, magnificent 
with its pictures, its gold-wrought and jew- 
eled frames and hanorinors. Much of this 
wealth was stolen, it is said, by the soldiers 
after the territory was purchased by the 
United States government. There were, 
too, at that early time, several good schools 
and a seminary. There were, also, ship- 
ping-yards with "ways" for launching ves- 
sels of a thousand tons. After the transfer 
of title, and the consequent removal of near- 
ly all the better class of Russians, civiliza- 
tion sank to almost native rudeness, with- 
out one saving hand. Schools ceased, in- 
dustries failed and the principal aim of the 
United States military force stationed here 
seems to have been the rapid and total 
destruction of good. The worst part of a 
civilized world they did indeed bring, intro- 
ducing its bad whisky, which, running riot 
ever since, is rapidly reducing a once-rug- 
ged race to extinction. 

In front of the government buildings, 



276 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

passing through the common, is the hard 
smooth avenue running directly through 
the town from the wharf back of the bar- 
racks to Sheldon Jackson Institute, and for 
a mile beyond through the evergreens, 
which, opening here and there, give lovely 
glimpses of the bay. There are no horses 
and carriages to travel this road now, 
though in Russian days, I am told, they 
were both numerous and fine. The near- 
est approach here at present to such an 
equipage is a "big wagon" drawn by a 
team of mules, which was brought up for 
work in the mines. There are, besides, 
of four-footed travelers, three or four cows, 
several goats, two sheep, and dogs innumer- 
able. The stock of vehicles includes a hand- 
cart, a water-barrel on wheels, a baby-car- 
riaofe or two and some wheelbarrows. 

The two-story mission building of the 
Sheldon Jackson Institute, one hundred 
feet front and fifty feet deep, stands on 
an eminence which slopes gently to the 
beach just where the avenue, following the 
water-line, enters the green wood, and a 
branch road to the left winds up around 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 277 

the house and through the brushwood 
farm at its rear. The house is frame, 
plainly and substantially built, containing, 
besides the teacher's apartments and those 
intended for the home of the children, a 
large room for the accommodation of the 
day-school, and which is also used for the 
Sabbath services. There are now in the 
Home twenty-four boys, whose ages range 
from eight to seventeen years. Most of 
them are quick to learn, and some show 
quite an aptness for trades. They are 
very much interested in the progress of 
the building, going out in squads last fall, 
under Mr. Styles's direction, to cut and tow 
in logs for lumber and for the foundation. 
Two or three have done well on the car- 
penter work. They patch their own shoes, 
do their own barbering quite creditably, 
and many carve in spare moments their 
favorite and odd figures of fish, the crow 
and duck. Miniature ships, too, they get 
up with much ingenuity, full-rigged, and 
little Indian canoes. 

These boys are growing ambitious, too, 
it seems. I heard of a council that they 



278 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

held alone one night just after the old In- 
dians had been trying to prevail on Ru- 
dolph (who was about sixteen years of 
age) to become the husband of his uncle- 
chief's old widow, that he might inherit the 
property. The boy could not be persuaded, 
and that night there was a very free ex- 
pression of opinion by all the boys. Archie 
seemed to speak for all, however, when he 
said, very seriously, " I would never marry 
dirty old Ingun for a thousand dollars. I 
never marry her. When I'm a man, I 
want to take good, clean girl for wife. I 
want her to know books and to housekeep 
like Boston girl. I not like it — my house 
— all dirty, my children not washed." 

Several of the boys have selected their 
little wives-to-be, and are very anxious 
that Mrs. Austin should take them into 
the family and train them to " housekeep." 
I believe that she intends doing so. 

Knowing this native habit of early se- 
lection, I one day inquired if Willie had a 
little girl in view. " Oh yes," was the an- 
swer ; " when Willie learn plenty of book, 
he want little girl too." 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 279 

Some of the boys in this Home have 
been rescued from the pangs of witch- 
craft torture, others from illnesses which 
without the missionary's care must have 
proved fatal. The most notable of the 
latter is the case of Lawrence, nicknamed 
by the boys " Sick Man." 

You remember — do you not ? — that In 
my first letter from Sitka, almost two 
years ago, among other requests was that 
for articles which would make the sick- 
room pleasant and comfortable, and I 
spoke of a little boy who the physician 
said could not get well. He was then a 
great sufferer, and it seemed probable that 
he would very soon be an inmate of that 
sick-room, for he was dying inch by inch 
from a terrible abscess. Well, that boy, 
cured under the missionary's care, was the 
very boy who saved both life and property 
on that fearful nlo^ht of the burnino- of the 
Home. All had been sleeping soundly, 
when a boy, arousing, smelled smoke. He 
turned to his neio^hbor and asked what it 
could mean. Concluding that it must be 
morning and that breakfast was being pre- 



28o LIFE IN ALASKA. 

pared, the boys dozed again. But once 
more they awoke, and this time hastened 
to see what the trouble really was. The 
building was in flames. By this time lit- 
tle Lawrence awoke, and, seeing the dan- 
ger, ran hastily and alone to the great 
mission bell, and, ringing it fast and loud, 
awoke the missionary's family and the 
people of the town, who came rushing to 
their aid. This boy is now one of the 
strongest of his age in the school, and is 
one of the chief workers. 

Allen, too, has a history. His mother 
(a woman of the Hoochinoo tribe, living 
about ninety miles north of Sitka) was un- 
der torture for witchcraft, having already 
been for some days without food in that 
terrible crouching, tied-down position with 
the head drawn back and lashed to a short 
stake in the ground. One night the boy 
at last completed his secret arrangements 
for her deliverance. Stealing softly out 
into the darkness, he cut loose all the 
thongs that bound his mother, and hurried 
her, with her little babe, down to the wa- 
ter's edge, when, stowing them into the 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 28 1 

canoe which he had secured for the occa- 
sion, they pushed off and paddled for their 
Hves, hunted to the death all those long 
nights. Against the tide, in hunger, pain 
and weariness, they reached Sitka safely, 
where the mother found at least a tempo- 
rary shelter with the Indians, and her brave 
little son, I am so glad to say, found a 
home in Sheldon Jackson Institute. 

Moses Jamestown is another boy to 
whom this Home has been as a city of 
refuge. Having been left an orphan and 
to an Alaska orphan's fate, he fled to Sitka 
from Hoonyah and from slavery. But the 
curse (which proved, at last, a blessing, as 
so many curses do) followed him, and he 
was accused of witchcraft. His torture 
had begun, but as the hour for his execu- 
tion approached his rescuers came from 
the U. S. S. Jamestown, then stationed 
here, and whose commanding officer had 
just learned of the poor boy's peril. The 
child was taken on board ship until the 
Home was opened, when he was handed 
over to the guardianship of the mission- 
ary, Mr. Austin. 



282 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

The present house, though a large one, 
is but a nucleus for the several hoped-for 
buildings to be grouped about it as the way 
and means open and increase. For it is 
designed to make this the principal trade- 
school of Alaska. Sitka, as you know, oc- 
cupies the central position, geographically, 
among the Presbyterian missions of Alas- 
ka ; and although a Home — and a good 
Home — at each of the stations seems a 
necessity to the best progress of the work, 
yet it would seem to be a wise economy to 
concentrate force so far as to provide the 
best facilities for the teaching of trades in 
the one and centrally located school, to 
which all may have access as the pecu- 
liar tastes and aptitudes of the children 
are discovered in each mission by its own 
teachers. . . . Carrie M. Willard. 

To the Sabbath- School of the Presbyterian 
Church of East Springfield, New York. 

Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, May 8, 1883. 

My Dear Friends : Can you imagine 
the joy of being able at last to write " at 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 283 

home " ? You can hardly appreciate it, 
and our every moment is too full to try 
to tell you what it is. 

We reached Haines on Sabbath, April 
8, after a voyage of about four days, hav- 
ing- taken the steamer on the 4th inst. We 
had had about two weeks of perfect weath- 
er, the air balmy, the sun warmly bright and 
the sea a glassy calm. How we longed 
to be on the way ! At length, on March 
31 (Saturday), the Rose made her trial- 
trip, during which it was discovered that 
her new condensing-pipes were altogeth- 
er insufficient, and so, for the third time, 
it was necessary to beach her. Monday 
morning found her again on the sands, 
when the old machinery was replaced, 
and on Tuesday we were rejoiced at re- 
ceivino- word that our freight would be 
taken on next day. Tuesday night came on 
with heavy rain, which continued with raw, 
chilling winds throughout the three days 
following. In spite of the best care which 
I could give them, both little ones took 
heavy colds during the packing. Every- 
thing got wet in going down to the boat, 



284 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

and we ourselves tramped down through 
the rain with two sleepy babies and bun- 
dles innumerable that Wednesday night 
at ten o'clock. That was the hour of hiofh 
tide, the only time that we could get down 
from the dock to the little boat. The only 
stateroom on the Rose opens out upon 
deck ; very open as to weather, but very 
close as to air. It measures six by eight 
feet, with three bunks on each side, the 
only window a skylight of two panes. On 
the voyage down I had preferred the open 
deck at night, when the waves and rain 
both wet us, but this time, by dint of good 
management in stepping out to turn around, 
and by waiting without until some of the 
party were stowed away in their bunks, we 
all six succeeded in finding shelter. We 
had to furnish our own pillows and bed- 
clothing, which after the trip to the boat 
were damp enough to begin with ; but the 
rain came through both roof and sides. 
We could not leave the wharf till low tide, 
at 4.20 A.M., because that would bring us 
into the rapids at next high tide — the only 
time possible for us to get through them 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 285 

out Into the open channel. At last, 4.20 
came. We left Sitka in the gray light 
Thursday morning, and reached the rap- 
ids at eleven o'clock, when we found that 
we had missed eoinof through with the tide 
by just twenty minutes. We steamed 
away for an hour, but barely holding our 
own, making no headway at all. There 
was nothing for it but to throw out our 
anchor and await the next rise, at three 
p. M., which we did, and at a little after that 
hour were rushed into Peril Strait, where we 
found rough water and had all we could do 
to reach Lindenburo- Harbor. Even then 
we were so tossed about that I lost my bal- 
ance and fell into real sea-sickness. The 
rain still came down, and our beds were 
wet; but the night passed, though the 
storm continued until the afternoon, when 
the clouds lifted a little and the wind fell. 
Taking up anchor at four p. m., we ran 
boldly out to the channel, when, after a 
mile or so, it was found that a pin was 
loose in the engine, and we stopped to fix 
it. This proved to be only a trifling hin- 
drance ; but when we looked about ag^ain. 



286 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

the fog had gathered so thick as positively 
to drive us back to our shelter in the little 
harbor, where we lay at anchor until three 
o'clock on Saturday morning. 

In the afternoon the men took the small 
boats and went ashore for water, wood and 
clams, Mr. Willard took Miss Matthews 
and our little Indian girl to secure speci- 
mens of the lovely moss and shells which 
we could see from deck. The clam-beach 
was perfect, and the island woods and moss 
were — well, like the woods and moss of 
Alaska — deep, dense and grand, while the 
different kinds of starfish and sea-urchins 
looked like great flowers. The real flow- 
ers were full of fragrance that spoke sweet 
things of springs long agone in the dear 
old home-land. So another night settled 
down upon us by the way — the very night 
which we had dearly hoped would bring 
us home. But God had been guiding us 
and — hindering us ; for — do you know? — 
had we been twenty minutes earlier and 
made the tide at the rapids, we should have 
been hurled into Peril Straits with a storm, 
and perhaps never have reached a harbor. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 28/ 

Then, afterward, had we not been detained 
near a place of safety until the fog-bank 
arose, we would have been surrounded by 
great danger. 

The rain had ceased, the sea was quiet, 
and we but waited to have our way made 
plain before us. Here and there a star 
twinkled through in the zenith, but around 
and about us the gray-white wall was im- 
penetrable until near morning. We took up 
anchor at three o'clock on Saturday morn- 
ing. The sun arose a little uncertainly, 
but by noon had declared himself master 
of the day, and we were able to open the 
door of our little ark and venture out on 
deck. After all, we said, we had had more 
of solid comfort than we had on the orreat 
fine steamer Dakota from San Francisco 
two years ago ; and we like the little Rose, 
with its free meals any time you may be 
able to eat, and its cozy kitchen-fire, where 
babies can be warmed and fed without in- 
sultinof the cook. 

Lindenburg Harbor is but a few miles 
from Chatham Straits ; so we were soon in 
that broad channel, whose waters only a few 



288 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

hours before must have been in a fury, but 
now were so placid and smooth as to give 
back reflections Hke a looking-glass. Cross 
Sound and Hoonyah Mountains, in the dis- 
tance, were like grounds of enchantment. 
Billowy clouds and snowy peaks touched 
with the pink and gold of strengthening 
sunlight were easily transfigured into cas- 
tles with battlements and towers, while the 
soft green of sky and water brought them 
out in charming relief. 

As we sighted Hoonyah Point, Mr. 
Willard asked little Katch-keel-ah (Carrie 
Bird Wallace) if she would like to go in 
there. Her "No, sir!" was quick and 
pathetic. It was her old home, and she 
said, " My heart too sick to think about 
go to Injun again." 

The day passed in beauty and in swift, 
quiet sailing. Just as the sun was setting, 
in such glory as is never seen elsewhere, it 
seems to me, we entered Lynn Channel. 
Passing Cross Sound on the left hand and 
Point Retreat on the right (which are re- 
spectively the open gateway of Hoonyah 
and the signpost of Juneau's mines), we 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 289 

were within the close, grand passage which, 
almost without a break in its mountain- 
wall, leads to our front door, on Portage 
Bay. I cannot tell you what a feeling took 
possession of us as, leaving all the world 
behind, we entered this great hallway of 
our own dear Chilcat country. Oh the joy 
of orettinof back to it at last ! All the suffer- 
ino- we ever endured in it was as nothinof 
compared to that of being kept out of it so 
long, away from our people and our work. 
May God as richly bless to the people our 
return as we feel that he blesses us in 
brinoinor us back ! 

We sat on deck watching the ever-vary- 
ing light and shade on passing scenes and 
singing songs both gay and sweet till the 
purpling of the shadows and the calling 
of the gulls warned me that little birdies 
should be in their nests, I tucked mine in 
then with o-rateful cjladness at the thought 
that hitherto our Father had brought us, 
and that another wakinof mio-ht be the 
opening of our eyes on home. 

But it was not — quite. As the cold 
crrav morning beo-an to steal throuo-h our 

19 



290 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

little skylight I became conscious of some- 
thing peculiar in our situation. I could not 
tell whether it was sound or motion that 
startled me, until there was a bump and 
a recoil. A sudden ceasinof of the ensfine's 
noise, a hasty raking out of its fire, and we 
were sinking — sinking down so gradually 
and so almost imperceptibly that I scarcely 
realized our position until I found Baby 
just rolling out of his berth. I called the 
others, and Mr. Willard went out to see what 
the trouble was. We were lying at about 
forty-five degrees, and walking was a feat. 
Little Carrie, fortunately, was on the low 
side with Miss Matthews. I, with baby 
Fred, was obliged to be boarded in and 
lie in the trough formed by bottom and 
side. Just around the lower point of Port- 
age Bay the inlet is very wide ; just above 
are the glaciers, the Chilcoot, the Dy-ya 
and the K-hossy Heen Inlets, which, carry- 
ing sand from the mountains, have at this 
time made large deposits, forming sand- 
fields of ereat extent, thoua^h all are cov- 
ered at high tide. Still, close to the rocky 
western shore there is a channel through 




ALASKA MOUNTAIN-SCENEKY. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 293 

all tides wide and deep and strong; our 
pilot had missed it, and the tide, fast run- 
ning out, left us lying on a hill four miles 
from home. Every object was familiar; 
we were at home, yet not in it. 

We rolled around till afternoon, when 
high tide took us off, and we came safely 
into harbor just in time to see the people 
going from the little schoolhouse, where 
Louis Paul (who had been down for a 
week from the upper village) had been 
having Sunday-school. Of course, the In- 
dians crowded about on every hand, say- 
ing that " they had thought they should die 
before we came again." " They had looked 
for us without sleeping." "They needed 
us so much ! They had had sickness and 
trouble, and they had no minister." We 
found the men nearly all gone into the 
Stick country (the interior) packing for 
the miners ; some were at the cannery- 
building across the Chilcat River. They 
had taken up the little bodies that were 
buried a year ago and burned them. They 
did not have nearly as much snow this win- 
ter. Still, they wanted us back. 



294 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

By the following Sabbath we had cleaned 
out the schoolhouse, made some new benches, 
washed the windows, put up short curtains 
of muslin and Turkey red, hung the nice 
charts and pictures, torn out the old box- 
pulpit and set in its place the good Estey 
organ sent us by the Little Leaven Band 
of Monmouth, Illinois, and had everything 
in good order for Sabbath service and for 
school on Monday. 

On Sabbath morninor lono- before time, 
the people were washed, dressed, waiting for 
the bell. We had a full and eager house ; 
for on the Friday night before the men had 
returned. We saw on every hand the evi- 
dences of earnings well spent — new shawls 
and prints on wives and children, new cloth 
suits on some of the boys and men. Quite 
a number of upper- village people had come 
down. The "Murderer" was there with a 
nicely-fitting suit of black cloth, new hat 
and boots, and a faultlessly white shirt- 
front, with a standing collar, cravat and 
gold buttons. He looked quite a gentle- 
man, and I am glad to say is behaving 
more like one. He had been bitterly 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 295 

opposed to having a teacher at the upper 
village ; he wasn't any afraid of the sol- 
diers Q-ettinof there to check his course. 
He boasted that he was but waiting to 
get us few whites together to kill us all 
at once, and that he would not have a teach- 
er at Clok-won. When Louis and Tillie, the 
native teachers, went there, he gave them 
much annoyance, and at last took the hand- 
bell from the boy who was ringing it through 
the village for school, declaring that they 
should have no more school. Some time 
after, Louis went to have a talk with him, 
which resulted in the Murderer's confes- 
sion of wrong and of his evil intentions 
toward the whites. He returned the bell, 
and turned himself so far as to become a 
regular attendant upon both day- and Sun- 
day-schools. 

Mr. Willard preached that day on the 
coming of the Lord, illustrating it by our 
own return. How had they kept the word 
we had o-iven them ? How should the Sa- 
viour find them keeping his word? 

In the afternoon we had the children's 
meeting. They recited, to the great de- 



296 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

light of the old people, their alphabet, texts, 
the twenty-third psalm, the ten command- 
ments, etc., in both languages, and fifty 
questions from the Catechism, and sang 
many hymns in both English and Kling-get. 
Then we gave them the nice papers. Two 
hours had passed for the second time in 
service when the benediction was given ; 
but they sat down again, and we sang an- 
other half hour. Still they said, "We have 
had no church for so loner that we don't 
want you to send us away at all ;" and, in- 
deed, we were loth to do so. Five or six 
little ones have died during our absence ; 
some have gone away ; others have come 
to this village from the others ; and quite 
a number of dear little babies have been 
born. Annie and Tillie, the little sisters 
whose mother told me that she would orive 
them to the white men if I would not take 
them, have indeed been taken to Juneau. 
Annie was in seclusion before we left, and 
I trusted that she still might be. 

This country is opening up very rapidly. 
Aside from the gold-interests, there are be- 
inof built for this season's salmon two can- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 297 

neries on the Chilcat River — one on the 
other side, one on this, just across the trail. 
Another party is looking out for a sawmill 
site here. 

Miss Matthews opened her school prompt- 
ly, and is doing thorough work. Although 
this is a busy season and the people are on 
the move continually, she has had sixty or 
seventy different pupils, from the baby of a 
month to the old chief, though we didn't 
count the babies. The people are much 
interested in the new teacher, but it was 
hard to make them understand about her. 
I'm afraid they thought that my husband 
had been following their own provident 
plan in getting a second wife, and they 
kept asking me over and over where her 
minister was. Her sweet voice and ready 
accompaniments on the organ charm the 
people, and she Is fast winning a place 
among them. 

But, of all the party, I think our little 
Carrie is the one most loved. From the 
first moment of our landinof she has been 
the object of smiles and pats and loving 
admiring remarks, and she herself has 



298 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

scattered love and smiles most prodigally. 
It often brings tears to my eyes to watch 
her among them. At church, on Sabbath, 
it was both amusing and sweet to see her 
moving about before service began, patting 
one little one on the head, dropping on her 
knees beside another, smiling up into its 
face. I saw her wipe the nose of one, and, 
stooping down in front of another, hold its 
hands while it coughed, as she had seen me 
do with baby Fred when he had whooping- 
cough. Then, taking a little singing-book, 
opening it first and feigning to read the 
lesson herself, she held it open to one and 
another of the old people, reading aloud 
and explaining, with many gestures and 
many nods of the wise little head, a few 
Kling-get words. But she took her seat on 
the little platform in time for service, and 
remained quiet throughout the whole of it, 
except at singing. She always joins in that 
with all her heart, knowing every hymn 
after hearinof it once or twice. She seems 
so little for it all ! She loves the big wa- 
ter, and enjoyed the trip home very much. 
The friends at Sitka had teased her about 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 299 

keeping her baby-brother with them. Of 
course, she had protested earnestly, for she 
can scarcely bear him out of her sight. Al- 
most the first thing after we went aboard 
she looked about for Fred, and, not seeing 
him, so wrapped as he was in blankets, she 
began to call loudly for him. Then, turn- 
ing to me, she asked " Baby ooh, mamma ?" 
That means, "Is he on the boat?" for she 
names it after the sound of the whistle. 
" Baby ! Dee, baby !" she called ; and 
then, when I had shown her where he lay 
asleep, she called each family-name, to 
make sure of us all, and, turning to Fritz 
again, she said, with her funny little nod 
and smile, " Morning ! Dee, baby ! How 
do do ?" 

Baby too has come into an inheritance 
with this people. He is just seven months 
old. I would not put short dresses on him 
until the Indians had seen him in his sweet 
white baby-clothes, so different from any- 
thing they ever saw before. Some of the 
Chilcat wives are Sitka women, and because 
this "beautiful snow-baby" was born in 
Sitka they claim him for their own tribe- 



300 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

brother; but the Chilcats hold on to him 
bravely, saying that he is a good Chilcat 
quan ("people"). Others say, "Good-good 
baby , half Chilcat, half Sitka Kling-get." 

The Indians, little and big, crowd before 
every window. This position has one ad- 
vantage over that of cominof into the house ; 
for when they come in, they do not always 
feel at liberty to follow us about from one 
room to another, but outside no such deli- 
cacy obtains. They see us leave one room 
for another, and, lo ! they are at its win- 
dow when we enter. When I place Baby 
where they can see him, they are perfect- 
ly delighted, and watch him as children at 
home would watch some rare, strange ani- 
mal. Every movement of his chubby hands 
seems to surprise them ; and when he coos 
and laughs, they fairly scream with joy, 
while Kotzie stands at the window ees- 
ticulating and talking Kling-get at a rapid 
rate. She never speaks a syllable of Eng- 
lish to an Indian. 

When we came home, we found an old 
witch sheltered by the Dickinsons and 
heard her story. A little boy had died ; 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 3OI 

the medicine-men declared that this old 
woman had bewitched him. She confessed 
that she had, and that a certain man in the 
lower Chilcat village had been her accom- 
plice. They were both put to torture. 
Don-a-wok, our good chief, accompanied 
by Mr. Dickinson and little Indian Willis, 
went over to Y'hin-da-stachy and compelled 
the release of the man after he had been 
starved for some days. But the friends of 
the old woman kept the matter of her tor- 
ture very secret — so much so that Mrs. 
Dickinson did not know of her situation 
until the eighth day of her trouble. Some 
little girls told her at school that the witch 
had been tied, in a nude condition, on a 
bundle of the " devil's walking-stick " (the 
most terrible nettle thorn I ever saw ; the 
sliofhtest touch of one of its thorns is like 
the sting of a hornet), and that she had 
had neither food nor water for eight days. 
Mrs. Dickinson then went down to the hut ; 
but when her approach was noticed, the 
witch was freed and the briars covered 
over with a sail. She found the old creat- 
ure crouching by the fire, almost dead, and 



302 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

told them to ijive the old mother some food; 
whereupon they offered her boiled salmon, 
but her tongue was so much swollen and her 
throat so parched that she could only swal- 
low a little of the water with which the fish 
had been cooked. Afterward Mrs, Dick- 
inson had her come to their house, and 
heard her story fully from her own lips. 
She is a weird old crone. Had I been 
called upon to say which of all the people 
miofht be the witch, I should at once have 
pointed her out. When she came to church, 
she always sat looking half dazed and mum- 
bling to herself. She was the first person, 
I believe, to whom I told the story of Jesus 
after we landed that July day two years ago. 

" What made you tell that lie and say 
that you killed that boy?" Mrs. Dickinson 
asked her. 

*' It was no lie," the witch said ; " I did 
make him die. And plenty more people I 
make die too." 

Mrs. Dickinson, not believing that she 
meant what she said, questioned her still 
further, and in reply, as nearly as I could 
gather, this is what she said : 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 303 

"I am old woman; I no good any more. 
I plenty sick, plenty tired. Minister come 
here; I go to church. I no hear his words 
in my heart ; just like to me nonsense. I 
go outside and sit down in bushes. Spir- 
its tell me, ' God no good ; he not strong. 
Devil very strong; he make all people do 
bad ; he make people die. It better you 
work for him.' I think about another world ; 
I don't know if it happy or sorry — only just 
another world. I want to begin all over 
again ; better everybody begin again. It's 
better I help the devil and everybody to 
new world. Spirits talk hard to me ; I lis- 
ten in bushes. Then I say, ' Yes, I work 
for devil.' I take dirty string off some- 
body's neck, and little bit of salmon some- 
body spill out of mouth ; take little rag off 
little woman's dress ; cut little hair off 
somebody's head. All easy, quiet, so no- 
body see ; nobody know anything. I hide 
it quick. By and by nobody knows. I 
steal away to medicine-man's dead-house. 
Devil strong then ; he take me. I put on 
just one old ragged skirt, and bit of blan- 
ket on shoulders ; then I eo inside. I hide 



304 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

all bits of String, fish, rag, hair, in blanket. 
Now all these people going to die. Maybe 
in one year ; maybe two, maybe five, years. 
By and by boy dies ; I know I make him 
die. Then my heart looks very wicked. 
In the night I pray, ' O God, let nobody 
see so much wickedness in my heart.' I 
very much 'fraid. Next day everybody see 
all my wickedness ; they know all how I 
'witched people. Then I know little bit 
God strong, 'cause I tell him no let any- 
body see my heart ; he show all people. 
I say, ' Yes, I make him die. You go with 
me to dead medicine-man. I take all pieces 
out ; I show you.' We all go to dead-house. 
I say, ' Devil very strong. I go in ; you no 
tie me. You never see me any more. Tie 
strong rope round me; hold fast.' I show 
the people all the pieces. Then everybody 
'fraid : many people going to die ; and they 
tie me strong on thistles. They give me 
nothing to eat, nothing to drink. By and 
by I 'most die. Just then like little hole for 
lieht. First I think God no strono- ; then I 
find God very strong. I think better work 
for devil, but I sit on devil's walking-stick. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 305 

I Starve. I see just little ; no g-ood to work 
for devil. Now I see more ; big light hole. 
Just like I old blind woman sit in dark long 
time. Now light come ; I want to work it 
no more for devil." 

The straight road to their spirit-world is 
over two high mountains and the interven- 
ing valley. When the shore of the great 
water is reached, the rocks are seen to be 
crowded with spirits waiting to be taken 
over to the beautiful island, which, though 
so far away, is plainly visible, with its in- 
habitants, whose attention these waiting 
souls vainly try to gain by shouting. But, 
wearied with watching, one no sooner be- 
gins to yawn than the faintest sound of it 
is heard and heeded in the island, and a 
canoe is immediately sent to carry the 
sleeping spirit to its final home. It is cir- 
culated throughout the country that during 
the past winter a man who died in Sitka 
came back long enough to tell the people 
that they must burn more food and cloth- 
ing and turn out more water on the fire 
when their friends die, that they may have 
more comfort in the other world, and that 
20 



306 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

all who adhered to the traditions of their 
fathers were the favored ones in the next 
life ; they sat close about the warm, bright 
fire, while those who follow the new Christ- 
religion were their slaves and sat back in 
the dark, cold corners. 

I must tell you of Rebecca, the mother 
of Willis. Her first husband, who died 
when Willis was a baby, was a brother 
of Don-a-wok. She afterward married 
again and bore two daughters and a son, 
when their father died. About that time 
she was out in the woods where men were 
felline trees. She had taken a seat on a 
fallen log, when the tree on which the men 
were at work suddenly crashed upon her, 
doubling her under it. They took her out 
and carried her home, unable to help her- 
self at all ; they thought her back was 
broken. For several years she lay a help- 
less invalid, but one glad day she heard 
the story in her own dark hut of Jesus as 
the great Saviour and Healer, of his cur- 
ing the sick of old, and she said, " He is 
the same, isn't he? He says, too, 'Ask 
of me, and I will give you.' " She began 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 307 

at once to pray for her own recovery, and 
from that day she began to gani strength, 
until she walked — not only about her 
house, but to church here, a distance of 
four and a half miles. Last winter a mean, 
disgusting, worthless blind man took it into 
his head to marry her, and tormented her 
for months. At last she spoke to me about 
it, askinor what she oucrht to do. She at- 
tended school and church, and could not 
bear to give them up ; and, besides, she 
disliked the man very much. She said 
that he was rich, while her father was poor 
and had to support her and her children. 
That troubled her. And then the fellow 
said he would surely kill himself if she re- 
fused. I told her what a Christian mar- 
riage was, and charged her to be brave 
enough to do right — if she loved the man, 
to go ; if she did not love him, to refuse 
him through everything. She wished me 
to exact from him the promise, should he 
ever come to talk with me about it, that 
he would put nothing in the way of her 
o^oino- to church and school if she should 
marry him. 



308 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

Not a great while after this the wretch, 
accompanied by a crowd of his relations, 
went to her father's house and rehearsed 
the whole matter : " She was poor ; he 
was rich. She was dependent, with her 
children, on her poor old father, who would 
soon die ; he would make her independ- 
ent." She withstood this. Then, " If she 
did not marry him, he would go to the 
woods and die." Here his mother and 
sisters broke into hideous crying, entreat- 
ing her to save their dear one ; still she 
would not consent. At last they said, 
" Well, he will kill himself. We will come 
on your old father for his life ; he shall 
pay it." In desperation then, she said, 
" Go to the minister ; if they tell me to 
marry you, I will." Immediately, with one 
of his friends, he came to us and said that 
Rebecca wished our consent to her marry- 
ing him. As she had requested, I asked 
him if he would ever object to her going 
to school if she should consent. He prom- 
ised that he would not, and went back to 
the house with the word, supported by that 
of his friend, that we told her to marry him. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 309 

and that if she did not go with him at once 
he would go out and kill himself. She went, 
for her father's sake and that of her word. 
He took her away to his mother's house, 
where she has been a slave to him. He 
has never since allowed her to go to 
church or to school. He has beaten her 
repeatedly, and scratched her until her 
face is terribly disfigured. 

The week after we came home she came 
up to the house to see us. She had been 
in but a few moments, when he came to 
the door and demanded her return. She 
went with him most obediently ; but when 
they went into her father's house, he beat 
her most unmercifully. When her father 
would have interfered, he took an axe 
to kill him. At last, dropping that, he 
put a knife to his own throat, when, in 
more terror than at all the rest, Rebecca 
sprang toward him and caught it away, 

Mr. Willard went down and gave him 
a thorouorh talkinor to, Amonor other 
things, he told him that if there was no 
other way of stopping it he would hand 
him over to the man-of-war captain who 



3IO LIFE IN ALASKA. 

blew up Hoochinoo. The fellow replied 
that nothing could please him better than 
to have the captain put his head into a 
big gun and blow it off; that he would do 
it himself if the woman didn't behave her- 
self. Then his tribe would kill her and 
come on her father for the rest of his 
value. Such a thing would please him 
very much. 

We find the season fully a month in ad- 
vance of last year's spring. Though the 
mountains are still white, here in the low- 
lands flowers are springing on every hand 
and the air is soft and full of fragrance. 
Birds are busy about us, and we take 
their sweet songs into our hearts, until, 
coming to the tongue, they find expres- 
sion, and we 

" Praise God, from whom all blessings flow." 

With much love, I am truly your affec- 
tionate friend, Carrie M. Willard. 

Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, June 13, 1883. 

Dear Friends : The steamer now comes 
every month to the salmon-canneries across 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 31I 

the peninsula, and leaves the mail there ; 
but its stay is too short to give us oppor- 
tunity to send replies to our letters by its 
return. When we hear from some Indian 
that the steamer is in, Mr. Willard puts up 
the mail and rushes over in time to eet it 
on board the departing vessel. Whatever 
of freight there may be for us is left at the 
cannery on our side of the river, and Mr. 
Willard has a trip of thirty miles with our 
little boat (the Adeline) to get it. 

We have now at the canneries two towns 
in white tents. They employ several hun- 
dred white men. Most of our people are 
there, although Miss Matthews continues 
her school, and on Sabbath the services 
are well attended by the people coming 
over from the canneries. 

We have been obliged to take two other 
children, a boy and a girl, into our family. 
" Ned," the boy, is thirteen. His mother 
died when he was a baby. He is to be 
chief of the Ravens, to succeed Cla-not 
and Don-a-wok, and is a real rollicking, 
mischievous boy. His father, who idolizes 
his only child, has begged us, ever since 



312 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

we first came to Chilcat, to take Ned and 
make him a good man. You never saw a 
man so delighted when we did take the boy 
after our return from Sitka. He says "a 
long time his heart was only sick, but now 
all time glad because of Ned," 

The girl, Ann, is sixteen. Her mother 
died when she was a baby, and her father, 
old, childish and almost blind, took for his 
second wife the daughter by a former hus- 
band of his first wife ; so Ann's stepmother 
is her half sister. She came to me a year 
ago last winter, and with tears asked me to 
take her, saying that she wanted so much 
to be orood, but could not be in the Indian 
house ; that when she would try to pray 
before going to sleep, her sister-stepmoth- 
er would poke her up, saying that she knew 
Ann was only asking God to kill her. It 
was impossible for us to take her at that 
time, and so I counseled her to be patient, 
that perhaps God meant her to lead her 
people to him, and that after a while he 
would open the way to a different life for 
her. She was afterward tempted to lead 
an evil life, being told, when the miners 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 313 

came, that she was a great fool for going 
to school and studying, when she might 
make money so easily. Her reply was 
that she had learned too much of God's 
word willingly to do wrong now. This 
spring, when the people went to the can- 
neries, she did not want to go, but she did 
not then ask us to take her. After a few 
days she came back, saying that she had 
seen so much evil that she was afraid ; she 
wanted to be eood : wouldn't we let her 
stay with us ? Of course we could not re- 
fuse her request, knowing how great her 
danger would be if left exposed to tempta- 
tions, and that we might save her. She and 
Fanny have one end of our spare-room. , . . 
This seems particularly our work. The 
people love and confide in us, and it is a 
critical time in their history and that of this 
country. The people scarcely know where 
they are themselves, but, trusting us, they 
come and say, "You are our father and 
mother. You must tell us what to do 
with the white man. You must lead us 
like your little children." . . . 

Carrie M, Willard. 



314 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, June 30, 1883. 

Dear Friends : We have been having a 
soft rain for two or three days. It falls so 
lightly, so gently, and makes all things so 
beautiful, that we have listened to its pat- 
ter with grateful joy. 

Our big, rollicking, handsome Indian boy 
Ned took the canoe yesterday and went 
out into the bay for fish, and soon came 
in with a great stringful of the delicate 
flounder. We ate them for breakfast 
this morning, never dreaming of what 
they cost. 

A little before dinner, as Ned lay on the 
floor beside the cradle, which he touched 
now and then for baby Fred's comfort, there 
was a thumping on the kitchen door, which 
we had barred, and, looking up, I saw our 
second chief, Cla-not, pounding on it ; and 
I told Ned to go and open the door. He 
did so, and in another instant I heard a 
rush, a scream, a thud, and I was out my- 
self in time to see Ned being hurled about. 
When he had seen the powerful man's face, 
he jumped for the sitting-room door, to get 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 315 

into a place of safety; but Cla-not was too 
swift and too strongf for him. 

I quickly tried to demand the chief's at- 
tention, but, seeing that he paid no more 
heed than to the wind, I laid my strength 
to Ned's in trying to drag him away and 
make Cla-not wait for a talk with Mr. 
Willard. He marched the boy out of the 
door, however, threw him down, and I think 
would have killed him had not Mr. Willard 
at last heard the commotion and come to 
us with his calm strength. Walking close 
up to the angry man, a word was passed, 
and the boy was released ; and he quietly 
stole into the house behind Mr. Willard as 
he stood talkinof with Cla-not. It seems 
that Cla-not was punishing Ned for bring- 
ing on the rain, for he had heard from the 
boy who had accompanied Ned yesterday 
that the latter had killed a fish which it was 
a trouble to keep in the canoe by hitting it 
on the head with a stone, and thus gave 
cause for the continuance of the rain which 
is blessino- the earth and brinoinor the ber- 
ries to beautiful maturity. 

Cla-not is an exceedingly mischievous 



3l6 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

man ; I do trust that Ned and Paul, who 
are to succeed him, will have gained by 
that time much of the knowledge and love 
of Christ. 

We have now three children in our lit- 
tle Home at our own expense. Many of 
the good big boys, who ought to be in 
school, and who could help us in return at 
garden-work to supply the Home with veg- 
etables for winter use, and still be learning 
something useful, have gone elsewhere — 
some to the cannery lately built across 
the bay. 

yuly 16. — Our mail did not come on the 
steamer, though Mr. Willard waited till 
eleven o'clock at night for its arrival this 
side the river, and then had his long tramp 
through forest, brush and swamp. As he 
came to the brush he heard a great bear 
but a few yards from him. There are 
plenty of bears, and they can be seen al- 
most any evening on the bare mountain- 
side. 

Dr. Corlies is at Juneau this summer 
and will look after our mail. Dr. Jack- 
son's contract takes effect this month. The 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 317 

Steamer has the mail-contract to the other 
points, and leaves our mail at Juneau. Dr. 
Corlies takes it from the office there and 
sends it by Indian canoe within a given 
time after the steamer's departure. 

Those of our people who have not already 
left Haines for the canneries, with but few 
exceptions, are to leave this week for a 
wholesale trading-raid on the Gun-un-uh, 
or interior, Indians, to be gone some three 
weeks. I think they must be realizing that 
their time with them is short, for they are 
fitting out with trading-packs the little chil- 
dren of ten and eleven years, while all the 
women have packs besides their babies. 
This being the case, we expect as soon as 
possible to set off for Clok-won, the upper 
village, where Louis Paul and Tillie were. 
We have been very anxious for their suc- 
cess and welfare ever since they came to 
this country. We gave them what slates 
we had, thinking that, as they were only 
beginning, they could use them to even 
better advantage than books, though we 
divided with them the books sent us. We 
also divided the Sunday-school papers and 



3l8 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

provided them with blackboard, chalk and 
the hand-bell that Eva sent. We have 
shared our own clothes with them, and 
given everything for their house we could 
think of. They have gone back to Wran- 
gell by steamer. The experiment has been 
well tried ; good has been done. The peo- 
ple have learned to want education, and 
now will be more ready to receive it. The 
house put up for Louis is an excellent log 
house, and by taking down the partition 
we can make a very good meeting-house, 
with a lodging-room above, which we can 
use when we eo to hold meetings and 
school. 

AugiLst 7. — We were aroused from sleep 
this morning by the only Indian woman in 
the village tapping on the window and call- 
ing Ned. She had been sent by a party of 
three miners who were so nearly in a nude 
condition that they wished Mr. Willard to 
come down to them on the beach, and if 
possible to give them some covering and 
some food. They had not had a mouthful 
of anything since yesterday morning, and 
for four days have lived on only such poor 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 319 

little berries as they could get, and the 
small black mussels which, at this season 
of the year, the Indians regard as poison- 
ous. They were soon covered and brought 
into the house — "home," as one of them 
said, where they were experiencing some- 
thing of the delights which the poor fam- 
ished soldiers found when they came home 
from the war. 

" Oh," said one poor mother's boy as he 
grasped my hand at the door, " I never was 
so glad to see white people in my life be- 
fore. When we turned the point and saw 
the house, I told the boys it was just like 
ofettinof home." 

They had stopped here for over a week 
as they went to the interior, some time in 
May. 

When they were telling us of the terrible 
hardships they had undergone, I said, 

" What men will go through for money ! 
Some of our friends felt that it was a good 
deal for us to come for the Indians, but see 
how much more you endure for gold." 

They had left behind four of their num- 
ber, who were unable to o-et farther than 



320 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

the head-waters of the Dy-ya Inlet — one 
an old man of sixty or seventy years — and 
Mr. Willard is busy getting Indians off to 
bring them down. The men that returned 
are young and vigorous, and still had hard 
work to reach here. They had waded 
streams where the current took them off 
their feet and swept them far down the 
rapids. At last they found a little canoe, 
which had been hidden by other miners 
when they went in last spring, and pad- 
dled against heavy head-winds till one 
o'clock that niorht, when, exhausted and 
famishing, they made the shore, drew their 
canoe above what they thought high-water 
mark, lay down on the sands and went to 
sleep. When they awoke, it was to find 
that they had been visited by so high a 
tide that their boat was gone, and, from 
the strong wind, there was no doubt that 
it had been blown back to the head of the 
inlet. It was impossible to reach us by 
foot, so they were obliged to retrace their 
weary steps. They then found the truant 
boat back at their starting-place, and now, 
after four days' weary pulling, wading and 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 321 

swimming", they are safely here with friends. 
Tlie channel is very quiet this morning, and 
Mr. Willard hopes to get the other starv- 
ing men down before long. They had 
found gold paying from fifteen to twenty 
dollars a day, but it cost them twenty dol- 
lars a day to live. 

A month ago the party divided, these 
seven men coming back, the other four 
going on with the boat to examine a 
quartz-ledge on Pelly River. They will 
probably make their way to Fort Yukon, 
and from there proceed by steamer to San 
Francisco. These men say that should 
they attempt to return this way they will 
be overtaken by the snows, will have no 
food, and there will be no chance of their 
reaching us alive. 

Mr. Willard sent Ned flying to the Kin- 
ney cannery with a note to the foreman 
for men to go up the inlet ; he has just 
received reply that the people are on a 
strike and he can get no one, but will send 
to the other side, where they can probably 
be had. 

The people are almost' crazy to make 

21 



322 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

money. Both canneries have stores, and 
prices have been brought down to fairness. 
At the same time, the prices of fish have 
run up till the Indians can make fifteen 
dollars a day fishing. What they are 
striking for now I do not know. 

We were much surprised, a week ago 
last Sabbath, to find, when the steamer 
had arrived at the canneries, that Miss 
Rankin, assistant matron at Fort Wrangell, 
was aboard, come to make us a visit. She 
will be here until next steamer, which may 
arrive by another Sabbath. She and Miss 
Gould, of Hydah, came out last Septem- 
ber with Miss Matthews and Dr. Jackson, 
Their visit is very refreshing. . . . 

August 8. — Not being able to get the In- 
dians yesterday, Mr. Willard took the Ad- 
eline, with the three tired and sore miners, 
up the Dy-ya for the others. Just before 
they started, two Indians made their ap- 
pearance and consented to go with them. 
As they were strong and understood pull- 
ing an oar, I felt much easier. They may 
not be back for ten days, in case of head- 
winds ; but if all is fair, they may get back 



LTFE IN ALASKA. 323 

two days hence. Mr. Willard took pro- 
visions with him. 

I am alone this morning- with the babies. 
Miss Matthews and Miss Rankin are spend- 
ing a day in the grand old pine woods. The 
boys are across the bay getting logs for 
steps down to the beach and a little log boat- 
house, and the girls I sent on an errand 
around the beach. They are all learning 
well. The girls especially are becoming 
very helpful in the house. We have them 
take week about at sweeping and chamber- 
work, with cooking and the care of the 
kitchen. They do these things well for 
such young girls. 

AuotLst 10. — Mr. Willard crot back with 
his crew in the night. They found the 
men living and in pretty good spirits, con- 
sidering the fact that they had nothing to 
eat for a week save a half salmon that they 
found that had been thrown away by some 
Indians, and was half dried, half decayed 
and made them very sick, and two fish 
which afterward they shot and managed 
in some way to get out of the water. They 
did not dare to eat more than half a fish at 



324 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

a time, lest they could get no more. They 
seemed very grateful for the help Mr. Wil- 
lard brought them. They told how, when 
so weary, they encouraged one another 
with " Never mind, boys; if we can hold 
out till we get to the missionary's, we'll 
be all right. It's just like home there." 
And they did hold out till the next day 
without a morsel to eat. 

August 27. — I must give you a little idea 
of how we live. One week Ann takes the 
kitchen, cooking, washing dishes, baking, 
etc. ; Fanny, the sweeping, chamber- work, 
etc. At the end of the week they change. 
In the morning — say Monday, for instance 
— while Fanny makes herself neat for the 
getting of breakfast, Ann, under my direc- 
tion, ^ives the livino-rooms a thorouoh 
cleaning and brightening up. Miss Mat- 
thews has joined Fanny in the kitchen, and 
together they have breakfast on the table in 
the bright little dining-room. By the time 
I have washed and dressed the babies 
the Indian children's plain, substantial 
breakfast is set in the kitchen, and they 
eat at the same time we do, always giving 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 325 

thanks and asking the blessuig with bowed 
heads. After the meal Ann takes up the 
crumbs and o-oes to her chamber-work, 
while Fanny washes the dishes and tidies 
the kitchen and Ned saws wood. All be- 
ing through their tasks together, they have 
their study-hours, and after recitations with 
Miss Matthews in reading, writing, spelling 
and arithmetic, with Bible lesson, singing 
and prayer, I get dinner with Fanny. She 
and Ann. together do up the dishes, then 
proceed to wash the soiled clothing of the 
week. Then I get supper for all by the 
time they have the clothes in the last rinse- 
water. After supper the girls scour table 
and floor, making the kitchen shine. Then 
w^e have family prayers and go to bed. The 
routine is varied as circumstances indicate. 
On another day comes the ironing, which 
the girls do together. I have Ned and 
Ann's little brother, Adam, who is with us 
a eood deal, wear starched white and calico 
shirts on purpose to teach the girls laun- 
drying ; they have learned to do them up 
nicely. Another day they have baking, 
and they can bake excellent bread. Then 



326 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

they have sewing-. I teach them to cut and 
fit their own clothing, and they have learned 
to sew on the machine better than most 
girls of their ages at home. Last week I 
had them learning pants-making — " real 
American pants " — and knitting. They 
each have knit them good woolen stock- 
ings. They go berrying and fishing and 
make a happy crew. There are many 
items of interest in connection with them 
that I wish I could give you. I have rushed 
along into this subject because I was so 
troubled at your distress for us that I 
wished to set your minds at rest. We 
are doing, and will do, just what the Father 
puts in our hands, and try to trust results 
of what we do, with all that we cannot do, 
to Him who has said, " Neither is he that 
planteth anything, neither he that water- 
eth ; but God who giveth the increase ;" 
and we believe that even now we are see- 
ing evidences of this blessing of his Holy 
Spirit w^ith our children here and with some 
of our people. 

We have been trying to beautify our 
glacier mission home this summer. After 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 327 

making Miss Matthews' room the best one 
in the house, Mr, Willard and I went next to 
the study. We had concluded that our bed- 
room down stairs was not a healthful place, 
especially for the little ones, and it would 
also make a much more convenient study 
and office for Mr. Willard than the room 
he has had up stairs ; so we made the 
change. Fanny sewed up the house-lin- 
ing (for it is not plastered), of unbleached 
cheese-cloth, as Ann had done for Miss 
Matthews' room, and we put it on the 
walls, with a narrow strip of Turkey red 
for a border ; you wouldn't believe what 
a pretty effect it made. All the carpet I 
could put together was not enough, but in 
Miss Matthews' Christmas box from home 
was a piece of red-and-black linsey-wool- 
sey, which she gave me as a border. I had 
also some thin red flannel, which I cut into 
two straight curtains and hung on a carved 
Indian totem-stick for the window toward the 
bay. Then we have a long shelf with red 
lambrequin for bric-a-brac, and underneath 
a lonof bricrht-cushioned box for settee and to 
hold bedclothing. The study is more unique. 



328 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

The floor is covered with fur robes ; chair, 
ditto ; rough board walls, in part ditto ; with 
a cross-legged table covered with green oil- 
cloth, of Mr. Willard's manufacture, as are 
also the chairs, bookcase and medicine- 
case. One end of the room is taken up 
with book- and medicine-cases ; the latter 
is a cracker-box set upright on legs, stained 
a dark brown, with the lock and hinges of 
bright brass, and on its long door I painted 
a little scene of water tumbling down over 
gray stones among flowers, ferns and moss. 
Across the corner stands my easel. On 
the wall hangs an ornamented squirrel- 
robe ; crossed above it are two great Indi- 
an bows, and from them, hanging over the 
robe, a quiver of arrows. Then there is a 
camp-chair, and a little black bearskin, lined 
with old red flannel, on the floor. In front of 
the table lies a large marmot robe, on which 
stands the study-chair (home-made), cov- 
ered with another squirrel-robe. At one 
side of the window next the bay is the 
gunshop. A box holding the ammunition 
is covered with a skin, and on its top is a 
huge stone washbowl, given us by Shat-e- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 329 

ritch as a valuable relic. In it, on a little 
minkskin, stand the guns — rifle and shot-gun 
— leaning, at the top, into the arms of polished 
deer-horns that Mr. Willard mounted on 
yellow cedar. From branches of the horns 
hang the Colt's revolver and its Apache 
belt given him by a miner, and Mr. Wil- 
lard's own little revolver, brought from 
home. Scattered about on the walls are 
sketches of Alaska scenery in oil, and the 
painting of "The Virgin of Light" with 
the plaster foot,'*"' A very good bust of 
Shakespeare, given us by a friend, looks 
down from among the books. 

For out-of-door exercise, I have taken 
Kotzie and the Indian children and worked 
on both the Home lots and our own. We 
have made a nice wide gravel-walk from 
the porch down to the beach, with two 
flights of terrace-steps. It remains to be 
finished to the schoolhouse. We have 
beautiful house-plants — calla-lily, roses, ge- 
raniums, heliotrope, fuchsias, etc. — which 
have bloomed profusely. 

* A free-hand crayon sketch which gained Mrs. Willard's 
admission as a pupil in the Academy of Design in New York. 



330 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

We have eaten of the Indian apples this 
summer — the queerest little things, about 
the size of red haws and looking- like them ; 
but the seed is more like the quince, and 
they taste very much like tiny green apples. 
I do think that grafts would grovv and bud 
on them, 

Septcmbei'- 3. — Among the superstitions 
innumerable of the Kling-get people is that 
regarding the owl. In a conversation with 
some of the children and young people one 
day, I said, 

** But then you know that owls cannot 
talk." 

" Oh," was the ready reply, " they can't 
talk 'Merican ; that's why the snow-people 
think they say nothing. Just Kling-get 
they speak, and all the Kling-gets know 
what they say. Alle same in snow-peo- 
ple's country no witches ; snow-people say 
no witches in Chilcat, but Chilcat Kline-Sfet 
see plenty witches." 

"Then what is an owl?" I inquired. 

" Bad spirit; alle same witches." 

"What do they do?" 

" Oh, plenty bad ; no good 'tall. All In- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 33 1 

juns much 'fraid owl. Everybody — every- 
body he talk bad to ; no good words in 
him. He big thief, too. Alle same he put 
this book under his blanket and shut his 
eyes. Some nights plenty big Injun in 
house. Old owl come close by in dark 
pine tree ; he talk bad. All Injuns run 
out house to drive him away, 'cause he tell 
somebody goin' dead. Owl knows every- 
thing, but he big coward. He plenty 'fraid 
big Injun. Just little young ones he strong 
take. Little woman, little boy, go out by's 
self; big owl turn him's heart up side 
down." 

Two Sabbaths ao-o we had a sermon on 
witchcraft. After service many of the 
younger people were gathered in the 
kitchen watching my preparations for din- 
ner. On Saturday, Ned had neglected to 
split and house his w^ood until it had got- 
ten quite damp in the rain ; so that I had 
quite a tedious time getting the pot to boil, 
and I had occasion to look into it again and 
again. 

" What is the matter with it ?" I said ; and 
as I raised the lid again, all looking at me 



332 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

as I did so, I assumed an expression first 
of surprise, dien, as I peered into the 
depths of the unmanageable fluid, my eyes 
became fixed and staring, opening wider and 
wider. With mouth also agape, I uttered 
the one startling word "Witches!" The 
Indians were watchine with terrified inte- 
rest; and as their bodies, almost uncon- 
sciously, arose and followed their gaze, they 
looked with me into the pot that would not 
boil. Then, relaxing, I dropped the lid and 
told them that the witch I had seen was 
Ned's neglect to get the wood in dry. He 
had left it in the rain until it was wet ; that 
made the wood so that I could not get a 
good fire. It was smoke, smoke ; no blaze 
in the fire ; no boil in the pot. Then I told 
them that time had been when the white 
people knew so little that they — my own 
forefathers — believed that witches kept 
the pot from boiling. When they had 
learned better to understand God's word, 
when they had studied into God's ways — 
into the whys of things — they knew that 
witchcraft was nothing but foolishness. 
They had been a great many years in find- 



LTFE IN ALASKA. 333 

iiio- out the reasons for thinos that showed 
them the fooHshness of witches, and the 
truth and goodness of God in everything. 
The good people did not wish the Indians 
to walk in darkness so long ; that was the 
reason of our coming to teach them what we 
had had to find out. They might learn fast 
if they would but believe the good words. 

Philip, the young silversmith, has long 
been a source of wonder and joy to us. 
Such earnest attention he has seemed to 
pay to every effort of ours to instruct him ! 
He has a sad history, and once, on a trip 
from the interior, almost lost his life. His 
intelligence and indomitable pluck barely 
saved him alive, with God's blessing, but 
he lost all his toes and all the flesh from his 
hands ; they are but bits of drawn-up bones. 
Yet he does beautiful work in silver, and 
not only that, but works at anything he can 
oet when he does not have orders for carv- 
ing. We have had him employed a good 
part of the summer in putting up the boat- 
house and in making shakes for a wood- 
and-veo^etable house. He said that he 
would rather work for the minister than 



334 LIFF. IN ALASKA. 

make more money at the canneries, be- 
cause the white men there seemed to care 
only about making money ; he wanted to 
make money, but he wanted to take care 
of his soul too, and he knew that the min- 
ister cared for it. It was he who surprised 
me one evening during our first winter here 
by remarking to me that I was not lone- 
some because my books talked to me like 
friends. We have felt that he was very 
near the kingdom of God — that he was 
followinof the truth so far as he knew it. 
Imagine, then, our distress, our grief and 
surprise, when, a week or two ago, we 
heard he had taken another wife. We 
heard that at almost the same time that 
there came to us the news of his great 
rejoicing over the birth of his first baby- 
o'irl. He came himself to tell us how orlad 
he was when the little dauofhter was born. 
He wanted it to be "all 'Merican baby," he 
said, and not even to have an Indian name. 
He wanted us to have it and to teach it 
everything good. He wished me to give 
it an American name, and he wanted baby. 
Fred's nursine-bottle for it. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 335 

But through all Philip's expressions of 
happiness my heart was aching with keen- 
ness of sorrow for his wrong-doing ; and 
so, after we had all sympathized with him 
and his heart was largely unburdened, I 
drew him away to the sitting-room, where, 
seating myself near him, I said, 

•' Philip, my heart is very, very sick." 

He looked into my face with such clear 
and questioning eyes so full of pained won- 
der that I almost hoped to find the report 
of his offence all a mistake ; but I went on : 

" You know how, a long, long time ago, 
you told us the story of your life ; of your 
long, hard journey to the north country; 
of your struggles with terrible storms, in 
ooine down the awful snow-slides ; of the 
big waves that dashed your canoe to splin- 
ters and hurled you against the great walls 
of rock ; then of how you seemed to die in 
the blackness of the waters, and at last how, 
God having brought you back to life, you 
found yourself in the world again, though 
the body was partly dead ; then how you 
came slowly and painfully back to the vil- 
lage where you had left the wife and baby 



33^ I'fFE IN ALASKA. 

for whose sakes you had risked and suf- 
fered so much. You expected kind atten- 
tion, but when you staggered to the house 
you found that another had taken your 
place. I remember, too, how you longed 
to die — how you wished that you had died 
in that fearful mountain-eulch, and how the 
months dragged on till, the unfaithful wife, 
with her child, having gone to lead a wholly 
bad life in Sitka, the world rose up new for 
you again, and you took the good, faithful 
and loving Leah for your wife. Do you 
remember how good and pure and true 
you said she was, and how you loved her? 
It made us so glad to know that, old things 
having passed away, you two were true to 
each other and trying together to serve the 
good God who had so strangely spared you 
to hear his word. Our hearts were always 
glad in thinking of you, because we thought 
you were trying to walk in the right way ; 
and now we have heard that you have taken 
another wife — that you have Leah and her 
sister too. Is it true ?" 

He had not lifted his eyes from my face 
while I was speaking; their expression was 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 337 

pathetic as he followed me, and the tears 
many times had started into my own. 
When I asked the question, his counte- 
nance did not change ; only a little fresh 
wonder came into it, and he said, 

"Why, have you only just heard of it? 
I took Mollie a moon and a half ago." 

I could only say, 

" Oh, Philip, how could you, when you 
knew that God forbids such things ?" 

With new surprise quickening his sen- 
sitive face, he asked, 

"What is that, Nauk-y-stih?" 

" Don't you know that God's word says 
only one wife for one man and one hus- 
band for one woman ?" 

There was eager pain in the wonder now 
as he glanced across to the Bible which lay 
on the little table. Followinof the suesres- 
tion, I brought and opened it, and read to 
him the holy law of marriage. Leaning for- 
ward in his eagerness, it seemed as though 
he must almost brinof the words from the 
book before I could utter them. 

When I had finished, several moments 
passed before a syllable was spoken ; but 

22 



338 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

I could see that his heart was beating fast 
and his eyes were dim as they bent on 
the book. At length, raising his head 
and looking at me earnestly, he cleared 
his throat and said, 

" Oh, mother, why did I never hear God's 
words before ? Now, for the first time, I 
hear his law. If I know his way before, I 
never have any wife but Leah; my heart 
is too sick. Wait ; I can't see which way 
my face is turned ;" and he hurriedly left 
the room. 

When he re-entered it, perhaps half an 
hour later, my husband had joined me ; I 
had told him how matters stood, and we 
were still talking it over seated side by 
side. Philip walked in, his face showing 
the manly determination which could hard- 
ly find expression in his rather limping gait, 
and took his stand opposite us. After wip- 
ing the damp from his forehead he said, in 
a studied but earnest way, 

"Mr, Willard and Nauk-y-stih, you are 
my father and mother ; you always do me 
good. Now I do very wrong ; I take two 
wives. I never hear God's word about it 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 339 

before. I thank you, my mother, for read- 
ing- it to me and showing me Hght to-day. 
My heart is very sick. I want always to 
take God's way. I love no woman besides 
Leah ; if I know God's word before, I shut 
my arms tight around her and let no one 
else come in. But I tell you how it was. 
I want to take no more wife, but Leah's 
sister was ready to be married. The boy 
who was to take her wouldn't do it. He 
would say to her friends, ' Wait, wait ! 
Wait till after Sunday. Wait till another 
moon ;' and they knew that he didn't mean 
to take her at all. Many Indians have two 
wives to help them make money ; so the 
friends all say to me, ' You take her ; you 
take her ;' and by and by I do take her. I 
have her now one moon and a half, and 
don't know it's bad. Now I know the Qrood 
way, I must do it. I take only Leah for my 
wife, but I must not take this poor girl by 
the shoulder and say, * Get you gone ! 
Quick !' I brought her in ; I must not give 
her shame. I will tell her, ' Sit down a while 
in my house — easy. By and by go out with- 
out much toncrues and shame.' " 



340 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

We could not but commend his compas- 
sion and bid him carry out his plan, with 
earnest prayer to God for them all ; it was 
supplication with thanksgiving that one was 
so quick to follow the truth. 

But why had he never heard the truth 
before ? Over and over again it has been 
preached on Sunday in church. That is the 
only time that we use an interpreter. The 
second chief here has three wives, and not 
only has it been boldly preached to him, 
and those like him, from the pulpit, but we 
have talked repeatedly to them ourselves 
in the house. I suppose, not considering 
Philip in particular need of such lessons, we 
had never spoken personally to him about 
polygamy. 

The raven is the heathen Chilcat's su- 
preme being. He is the creator and pre- 
server of all things, for not only did he 
make the world, but upon his wings it is 
borne. The end of the world will come 
when he flies from under it. And not only 
is this black bird the power almighty, but 
he is the power almighty for evil. What 
other fact can so emphatically reveal a peo- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 34 1 

pie's degradation as does this — that their 
highest ideal, their god, is an evil spirit 
whom they must needs appease, and whose 
sufferance of them they must propitiate by 
all the sacrifices that witches and medicine- 
men can invent for them ? 

A conversation between our Indian mrl 
Bessie Ann Fraze (who must have been 
about fourteen years old when it took place) 
and an older Indian was reported to me the 
other day by a third person, who had been 
much interested in their discussion in re- 
ofard to the claims of the new religion. 
John had asserted his full belief in the doc- 
trines of his fathers, when Ann silenced him 
by saying, 

" I used to believe that the raven made 
the world and everything; but when the 
minister came and told us about the Qrood 
God and showed us his true book, and I 
learned to read his words my ownself, I 
no more believe in the raven. I believe in 
God, because he tells us about it. Now, if 
you want me to believe in the raven, show 
me the raven's book. How did he make 
the world, and what did he make it for?" 



342 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

September 10. — While we were at break- 
fast a native came and asked me if he might 
bake some bread in our stove. I told him 
yes, if he would bring it right away, before 
my fire went down. (He would not be will- 
ing to furnish wood, nor even cut it.) He 
returned to the village, and directly anoth- 
er man came carrying a sack of flour, his 
young wife bearing the big washbowl in 
which to mix the bread, and a package of 
sugar. They were going to have a feast, 
the people of the three lower villages be- 
ing invited, and they wanted to bake up 
this sack of flour into flat suQfar-cakes. 

The man did the mixing, his wife look- 
ing on. He took out a bowl of flour, put 
just as little water in it as would make 
dough so stiff that he pounded and ham- 
mered it with his double fist in very pugi- 
listic fashion. Sprinkling a little sugar on 
the lump occasionally, with a spoonful of 
water, the pounding would be resumed, 
until at last we were obliored to insist on 
its being put into the oven. Very reluc- 
tant he seemed to flatten it out, but at last 
the cakes were panned, put in to bake and 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 343 

the man's wife sent home with the flour. 
He stayed to mind the baking, which took 
about one hour with fire in the stove and 
another hour without any. 

Tlie next arrival was a man who wanted 
to buy a sack of beans and one of rice for 
the same feast ; three friends were giving 
it jointly. We had none to sell him ; so 
he was obliged to go to the canneries. 

Then came a woman to borrow a wash- 
tub to hold the beans and rice when they 
were cooked, for this was the day of prep- 
aration for the feast. The cookingf-uten- 
sils were small — except, indeed, the great 
baskets in which they cook, by means of 
redhot stones dropped into the mess they 
wish to boil, and in this case a large quan- 
tity was to be cooked in small portions. 
Then the tub was wanted for the great cen- 
tral dish, from which the totem-dishes of the 
guests could be filled ; for they often carry 
their own dish and spoon, each carved elabo- 
rately with their family totem, or coat-of- 
arms. For instance, suppose a man is of 
the Owl family, of the " Cog-won-tons " 
tribe ; he will probably have a dish orna- 



344 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

mented with owl-carvings''' and a horn spoon 
whose handle represents the cinnamon 
bear, or a commingling of the two in one, 
or both articles, perhaps, the first order re- 
versed. They have many styles of dishes 
in wood, horn and stone, and the conceits 
in carving, the arrangement of the ever- 
varying and ever-recurring totem, are cu- 
rious and grotesque, though often really 
Graceful in desion. At their feasts these 
great dishes and spoons, often valuable 
and handed down through generations, as 
our great-grandmother's china at home, are 
gathered about by a group of the same 
family and filled by the master of the feast 
from the central dish — something similar to 
the custom among more civilized people 
when refreshments are served to groups 
of euests at small tables from the main 
dining-table, only the Chilcats are much 
more social, as each partakes from this 
common totem-dish with his own spoon. 
These spoons, however, are large enough 
to answer for individual-dishes. They usu- 
ally hold from half a pint to a pint. Some 

* See illustrations, pages 256, 37 and 45. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 345 

will hold as much as a quart, and look a 
little like the old gourd-ladles. 

Finally, one of the hosts came to buy cal- 
ico to tear up and give away at the " Co- 
ek-y," or the great gift-giving prelude to 
the feast, wdiich would take place that night; 
for it is a feast for the dead. Of course we 
would not give him calico for such a pur- 
pose, as these feasts are the ruin of the 
people. For several weeks they have 
done nothing but move from one feast 
to another, and probably have spent in 
this way all the money they have earned 
through the summer. 

September 10. — We had some thirty-five 
or forty at church yesterday. The people 
left the canneries and still are feasting. 
Next month the medicine-man Kaht-lutl 
is to give a great feast on the completion 
of a house he has for three years been 
building in memory of his dead in Y'hin- 
da-stachy. 

Canoes are coming daily from below 
Juneau, Sitka, Hoonyah and Fort Wrangell 
to get salmon at the upper village. These 
people say they have been standing all 



34^ LIFE IN ALASKA. 

summer waiting for the fish to come, but 
in all they had gotten but forty dried. 
Winter is coming on, and they have made 
no provision for it ; usually they have by 
this season great store-houses full of dried 
salmon and salmon-oil — not only enough 
for themselves, but for trade with the lower 
tribes — and they will, I fear, have nothing 
left of their summer earnings with which to 
buy flour or any other food. I fear there 
will be trouble ; and if it were not for the 
dear babies, whose frequent illnesses re- 
quire every care and comfort that we can 
give them here, I would be anxious to go 
to the upper village for the winter, and, in- 
deed, may find it necessary to go. 

I heard yesterday the story of the owl's 
origin as believed by all the Kling-get 
tribes. It was at Sitka an old blind wo- 
man lived with her son and his wife. It 
was a time of great scarcity of food. The 
son went every day to hunt and fish, but 
could get nothing ; he and the old mother 
barely kept soul and body together with 
the few roots and berries that could be 
found. But the young wife thrived well — 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 34/ 

upon what, no one knew. In the night, 
when the old woman would wake up from 
sleep, she would say to her daughter-in- 
law, 

" What have you got there to eat ?" 

" Nothing." 

" Oh yes ! I smell fish, and I hear the 
oil dropping on the fire." 

" No, you don't ; there's nothing to eat." 

Again the hungry old woman would say, 

" What are you eating ? You have fish ; 
1 hear you eating it." 

" No," came the answer ; " I'm just chew- 
ing gum." 

The truth was — the story says — that, 
having the power of a witch, the young 
woman went every midnight to the rocks 
overhanorine the sea, and there, with tree- 
branches, which she swayed back and forth, 
crossing and recrossinof them before her, 
she charmed the young herring from their 
haunts. They flung themselves from the 
waves to the rocks at her feet. Gathering 
them into her basket, she would take them 
home, string them (as is their custom still) 
on a stick, which was then fastened into the 



348 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

earth upon which the house-fire was built, 
at an inchnine anMe over the fire ; and 
after roasting them, she would have a 
good meal and sleep again. 

Matters went on in this way, until one 
night the old mother's questioning angered 
her dauo'hter-in-law so much that, snatchincr 
a fish from the stick, she tore out the burn- 
ing entrails, and, crying out, " Hold out 
your hand, then ; you shall have some," 
forcibly closed the old fingers upon the 
hot mass until the palm was deeply burned. 

When the husband came home in the 
morning, he asked what made his mother 
sit crying so. His wife said she didn't 
know. Determined to hear from his moth- 
er herself, he said to his wife, 

" I am going hunting again. Go you to 
the woods and get me bark-lining for my 
arrow" (to tie the heads to it). 

And while she was gone the old woman 
told him all her troubles, and he at once 
decided what to do. When his wife re- 
turned with the bark strings, he took his 
bow and put off in his canoe, as though he 
were going a distance ; but as soon as he 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 349 

had turned the point of land which hid him 
from the view of the village he drew the 
boat ashore, where he hid it in the bushes 
and secreted himself until after nightfall. 
When the moon began to rise, he stole 
toward the villaoe, and, takino- a station 
which would command a view of the beach, 
there awaited developments. 

At midnight he saw in the now brilliant 
moonlight the figure of his wife approach- 
ing the scene of her nightly incantation. 
He watched her closely through it all, and 
followed softly to the house, where he saw 
her cook and eat the fish and deny his 
mother's cry for food, then returned to his 
canoe. On the next day he caught a hair 
seal, and, taking it home, made his wife eat 
so much of its fat that she fell into a deep 
sleep — so deep, indeed, that the midnight 
hour had passed when she was aroused by 
her husband's command to go down to the 
canoe and carry up the fish he had just 
brought home. He, having stolen her art, 
had himself used it and filled his canoe 
with herring while she slept. She went 
to the canoe and sat down on the beach ; 



350 LIFE IN ALASKA, 

her voice came very feebly as she called 
to her husband to send her the baskets. 
He would not send them, and she would not 
go for them ; so she sat on the sand all day. 
As the moon arose she started toward the 
mountain, intending to follow a gulch to its 
top ; but when she came to the great stone 
(called by the white citizens of Sitka the 
" Blarney-stone ") which stands in the road- 
way just opposite the gate of the Shel- 
don Jackson Institute, she sat down on it, 
and immediately turned into an owl. It is 
for this reason, then, that the owl works 
in the night and talks in the moonlight. 

But the British-Columbia Indians believe 
that the owl is the transformed body of a 
man who lost his head from his shoulders 
in a war among the tribes long ago. 

September 27. — Mr. Willard and Miss 
Matthews, with Mrs. Dickinson, are at 
the upper villages this week, the girls re- 
maining at home with me and the babies. 

This has been a specimen day, and, as 
the little ones are all asleep, I will run over 
its events. There has not been an out- 
side Indian near the house, owing to the 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 35 I 

great annual feast at Y'hin-da-stachy, but 
we are always busy. We arose at seven 
o'clock this morninof, aot breakfast over, 
the little ones ready, the Saturday clean- 
ing and preparation done ; then, putting 
Fred in a comfort, I sat him in his cart, 
gave Kotzie her little shovel, and led the 
pfirls with two lareer shovels and the wheel- 
barrow to digging clods and banking up 
the house for winter. We can eet neither 
man nor boy to work; even Ned has run 
off to the feast. 

The girls went at it with a will, and to- 
gether we got it almost done ; but while 
we were working in the front of the house 
one of the girls screamed out that the boat's 
ways were floating off, and there, sure 
enough, going rapidly out with the tide, 
was the log roadway which had been 
worked on for so many weary days. I 
feared it might get out into the channel 
current and be carried utterly away. I 
knew that it would be next to impossible 
to replace it by a new one this year, and 
the Adeline was at anchor in the bay, but 
must be housed for the winter. How could 



352 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

it be done without these ways and pulleys ? 
So, laying baby Fred on his back in the com- 
fort, I pulled on my rubber boots, snatched 
up the keys and, calling to the girls to fol- 
low me, ran to the boat-house, got out ropes 
and paddles, while the girls ran the little 
canoe down the beach. Springing into 
the shell, we were off on the biof water. 
Fanny sat high and dry in the prow, Ann 
in the stern, both working hard, while I 
with my ropes sat amidships. We reached 
the logs, roped them in and tugged them 
back to the Adeline. Boarding the white 
beauty, I tied the ropes securely to her 
prow, and we were soon ashore again. 

Poor little ones left behind ! Kotzie had 
followed to the water's edge, while Fred 
had cried himself to sleep. We got dinner 
over, and after our evening sinorino-, Bible 
lesson and prayer I took the little ones up 
to bed. When they were snugly tucked in, 
I heard noises on the beach like the landinof 
of a boat. Looking out, I could just distin- 
guish a large canoe being hauled up and a 
figure coming up the path toward the house; 
but I heard the voices of white men. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 353 

As the solitary figure was about to pass 
to the back of the house I called out from 
the wuidow : 

" Who is there ? White men ?" 

" Yes ; a party from the interior. We 
heard that you were here, and have tried 
hard to oret here to-nio-ht." 

I told him then that Mr. Willard was not 
at home, but that I would be down in a 
minute and would most gladly give them 
anything they needed. 

They were not in the pitiable state of the 
former party, but they were tired and hun- 
gry. They are now comfortably housed in 
the schoolhouse, with fire and provision, 
and the day has almost passed for me. 

I have been taking the girls this week 
through the history of our dear Saviour's 
sufferings, death and resurrection with 
much profit to us all. They are intense- 
ly interested in the reading and during 
prayer. 

October 9. — Our itinerants have safely 
returned, holding service two weeks ago 
at Clok-won, last Sabbath at Y'hin-da- 
stachy. I had a congregation here also 

23 



354 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

of about twenty persons. The feasting 
had at last been ended, and the people 
were en route for Chilcoot to put up their 
salmon. They said " the days were dear 
now because so few will be before the big 
snows ;" but they stopped for church, and 
we had a good time. I can get on now 
very well without an interpreter. . . . 

The mail brought us a most welcome 
telegram from Dr. Kendall, saying, " Go on 
with the building on your plans." We 
would naturally shrink from such an un- 
dertaking, but because we believe that 
we will be so directed as to secure more 
glory to His name whom we delight to 
serve, we are grateful for this author- 
ity. Philip and Sarah, with their little Ade- 
line, were here to church on Sabbath, and 
on Monday morning Philip went to work 
on the contract for getting out logs for the 
Home. Last evening, at sunset, he towed 
in and landed, above high tide, the first 
eight logs for the building. It had been 
a full day for me, but, taking the children 
to the beach, I sat down on a fallen tree 
and watched the landing. I forgot my 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 355 

weariness in the joy of seeing at last a 
beoinninof of this house, so labored for, 
so prayed for and so waited for. Every 
bump of the logs sent a throb of grati- 
tude through me, and I felt penitent for 
my want of faith a few weeks ago. But 
God has caused it to come to pass, and I 
am so olad and thankful ! 

October 11. — Yesterday morning Philip 
came early, looking as though he had lost 
his last friend. 

"Me baby sick; me min-ten " ("little") 
" baby sick," he said. " Me no sneep las' 
night." 

" Why, what is the matter?" I asked. " Did 
Baby cry ?" 

" No ; no cry. Me heart too sick baby." 

I sent him to bring the little Adeline and 
her mother, and soon found her quite sick 
with lune-fever. These wretched houses 
of theirs are like caves, and the little doors 
have been shut up this wet summer, while 
the roofs are open, letting in all the rain on 
the earthen floors. Now, when they bring 
a few pieces of bark for floors, the people 
go right into them, build a little fire, and 



35^ LIFE IN ALASKA. 

breathe in the poison mould and must 
out of the reeking ground and walls. 

After a day's good nursing and care the 
little one breathed much better, and seemed 
in a fair way to recover if the care could be 
continued. Not daring to let them take it 
aeain in such condition to their own hut, 
we have them still here in the coziest cor- 
ner of the sitting-room. 

As I have clothed little Adeline in flan- 
nel now, I asked her mother to give me the 
little garment I took off, to show you a spe- 
cimen of the Indian women's sewino^. This 

o 

is the style of dress worn by every Chilcat 
female, big" and little — sometimes with none 
other ; but in the case of the women there 
is more often a straight orathered skirt worn 
over this, and perhaps a cotton jacket. 
They are all, even when made of the flim- 
siest material, sewed with such extreme 
nicety 1 Their favorite position for sew- 
ing is lying on the floor, face downward 
and elbows resting on the ground.* They 
hold the needle between thumb and finger, 
pointing outward, and sew from them. 

* See illustration, page 151. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 357 

October 16. — Philip's baby is dead. The 
litde body is to be burned to-day at Chilcoot, 
whither its mother and her friends took it 
yesterday morning at daybreak. 

The baby had improved every day ; and 
when, on Saturday, Phihp told me that he 
would take the little one home at noon, I 
told him it would be best, as she was bet- 
ter. The weather had grown more mild 
and quiet, and their house had been thor- 
oughly heated, their friends having kept up 
a constant fire for several days. He went 
down and hung up thick blankets, making 
a warm room for Baby and her mother. 
They wrapped the child well in blankets 
(it was dressed in my baby's flannels and 
socks) and took it down to the village. 
Early yesterday morning Philip came to 
tell us that the baby was gone. His slow 
step, white face and swollen eyes told some- 
thine of his enef. We too had become 
attached to the fat little baby and were 
grieved much, though I realize to the full 
that it was taken in mercy from a miser- 
able existence here. 

As soon as it was dead its tribal friends 



358 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

began to wrap it in its blankets, ready for 
the mysterious journey to the spirit-world, 
and, running out a canoe, put the baby into 
it with its mother and hurried away to Chil- 
coot, in spite of the father's agonized entreat- 
ies. He did not believe that the child was 
dead, only tired and weak. He begged 
them to wait till I could see it, then that 
they would not take it away on the Sabbath, 
but wait till Monday ; but in vain. They 
left him alone, and he came to tell us, say- 
ing that if his child were dead he would go 
away on the steamboat to work. It was 
truly his idol. Never have I seen shown 
anywhere more tender solicitude, more 
anxious love and earnest, watchful care, 
than he has shown to that little baby. He 
had this summer, with part of his earnings, 
bought a nice camphor-wood trunk, and 
had several lovely rose-blankets in it. 
When the baby took sick he immediately 
opened his treasure, and made its bed more 
comfortable and beautiful than I could have 
done by giving him my best. I told him that 
it pleased me to see him use these things 
for his child while it lived and needed them, 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 359 

instead of letting the baby die of exposure 
in order to save blankets to give away and 
burn at their burial-feast, as so many In- 
dians do. 

"Oh no," he said; "I can't do that. I 
love my baby ; my heart all same's white 
men's heart." 

While here he would throw himself on 
his hands and knees beside it on the floor 
and lay his head so tenderly on its little 
pillow, cooing to it and kissing it like the 
tenderest mother. He was its best nurse, 
and would not leave it all those days of its 
sickness except to get their food. But he 
rested when I would take it ; and when I 
came at night, whether at twelve or two or 
four o'clock, with the light, and took up the 
little thing into my arms, after seeing it com- 
fortably settled he would draw out from 
about his head somewhere his little book 
and begin to pore over it, appealing to me 
constantly for confirmation or correction 
of what he had spelled. He seemed so 
troubled about the burning of the body. 
We told him to let them burn it : that 
could not make the little one unhappy; 



360 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

but we wished him to make no feast, to 
have no burning or tearing up of food 
and clothing. He said he would have to 
burn two new blankets with the baby and 
give its tribe food, but he would do no 
more. 

We hear that the people are getting up 
quite an excitement again, all saying that 
wherever ministers are the children die. 
Last week we had succeeded in ofettine 
some men to work, but now every creature 
is Qfone a^ain. Some have eone to Chil- 
coot for this burning; the majority, how- 
ever, have gone to Clok-won, to another 
great feast, given to the lower villages in 
return compliment. We hear that they 
are going to have plenty of hoochinoo. 

Some of these lower people, who had 
raised bushels of potatoes and used them 
for the Y'hin-da-stachy feast, have not one 
morsel of food for winter, and they have 
families of little children. They intended 
ofoincr to work on the dosf-salmon last 
week to dry it, but now comes the irre- 
sistible call to feast at Clok-won with the 
Cog-won-tons. 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 36 1 

Ned has never come back since running 
away to the feast. . . . 

Carrie M. Willard. 



To the Mission Society, Wilmington, Illinois. 

Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, July 7, 1883. 

Dear Friends : Let me take this oppor- 
tunity of thanking you all for your interest 
in the boat also. We did not get a steamer, 
but a good row-and-sail boat which answers 
our purposes well and is a great comfort. 
We have built a log boat-house on the 
beach, where between trips she is safely 
sheltered. 

Durinpf these summer months the steam- 
ers come to the canneries which are on the 
Chilcat Inlet. The distance from Haines is 
two or three miles, across the peninsula, 
through a terrible trackless bush. We 
have no roads in this country, you know, 
and to go around the point, as we must 
for our freight, it is thirty miles ; so you 
see even now how much we need the 
boat. Then for six months during the 
winter I suppose there will be no steamer, 



362 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

and our only dependence from Juneau will 
be our own litde boat. . . . 



Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, October 9, 1883. 

Rev. and Mrs. P. F. Sanborne — 

Dear Friends: There is something so 
good to write ! Last evening, at sunset, 
the first eight logs for the Home were 
towed in and delivered above high tide by 
Philip, our young silversmith. It brings a 
feeling more nearly akin to that experi- 
enced on hearing of the first gift toward 
the building (a year and a half ago) than 
anything since. . . . 

You write to know what to do for us. 
We shall need everything in the spring. 
We hope to get the logs on the ground 
ready for early work when the snow 
ofoes off^ 

We will be obliged to take some boys 
before we have the house up, in order to 
secure them and that we may have their 
help in the much work to be done. W^e 
can do this by using the little schoolhouse 
as a temporary dormitory. But as yet we 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 363 

have no boys' clothing, nor bed-ticks, nor 
blankets. Of the former, the very best 
kind will be of brown duckinof canvas — at 
least for pantaloons — and blue denims or 
hickory for waists and shirts. The latter 
might be varied with strong jeans and 
cheviot flannel. Our Ned can wear a pair 
of new jean pantaloons only one month be- 
fore they need new seat and knees. This 
clothing should be for boys of ages ranging 
from ten to sixteen years. Our beds will 
for the most part be single ones — say two 
widths of hickory two yards long, with a 
six-inch strip between them for the thick- 
ness of the bed. Blankets (colored ones) 
are better than quilts, and more easily kept 
clean than comforts. They are cheaper, it 
is said, on this coast than in the East. Then 
we shall want crash towels and everything. 
May God bless you for your good words 1 
Carrie M. Willard. 



Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, October 17, 1883. 

Dear Mrs. : In a note by our last 

mail but one Mrs. L. asked me to write you 



364 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

in reference to our Chilcat children, and se- 
lect for you a girl to bear the name of 



I gladly comply at my earliest op- 
portunity, and yet I can only write in a 
general way. I am not able at once to 
give you a particular child. We most 
fondly hope to have the Home open by 
another summer, and it is exceedingly 
desirable that the support of its children 
shall all have been secured by that happy 
day ; but, knowing the difficulties, and ap- 
preciating the wish of those who give to 
this object that neither change nor failure 
should be connected with the name they 
love, I think delay of appointment better 
than risk of a greater disappointment. 

You cannot understand just what the 
difficulties are : their name is Legion. Every 
superstition of the people, every tie, both 
natural and monstrous, interferes with the 
plans of missionaries among Indians. I 
might give you a bright, promising girl 
brought to me by her mother to-day ; I 
might take her into my own home and 
family, adopting her for you with all the 
papers and ceremonies necessary for the 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 365 

transference of a kingdom ; and yet before 
our mail is ready to start, taking to you a 
brilliant account of proceedings and prob- 
abilities, I might have to prepare the ac- 
count of her running away or of her abduc- 
tion, of her being tortured for witchcraft, 
given for a wife or sold to white men. I 
might tell the family to wait — that I would 
surely take the girl in the spring; I might 
give her your name and let them go away 
happy, leaving me with the full assurance 
that the child was ready for me whenever 
I could take her ; and next week I might 
find that the whole family has removed 
elsewhere, from whence I could not expect 
ever to receive my innocent little girl. 

So I assure you, dear friends, that, from 
such a point of view, these scholarships 
are very trying and discouraging things. 
You wish to watch the growth and prog- 
ress of a particular child in the name of 
one you love. I understand and sympa- 
thize with you in this, but is this the best 
way ? May I not suggest what seems to 
me a higher aim — a wiser and a better 
plan ? It is one which will alike enlarge 



366 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

the sympathies of the givers and their ex- 
perimental knowledge of mission work and 
relieve the missionaries of so great a tax. 
Would not the person whom you delight 
to honor in this way be just as truly hon- 
ored in this other way ? Instead of saying, 
" Select for us a child of good promise — 
one we can keep, and whose course we 
can follow — and we will support her in 
your school and call her ' So-and-So,' " 
suppose you should say, " We wish to have 
a scholarship in your school, to be named 
' So-and-So,' and would be glad to have 
occasional accounts of the child who may 
be benefited by it;" and suppose you pay 
your one hundred dollars a year into the 
hand of the Board of Home Missions for 
the purpose of keeping up this scholarship, 
always to be known by your chosen name. 
Then, if for any cause it became necessary 
to substitute any other child for the one 
first selected, you might in this way gain 
the histories of a dozen children, with all 
the varied circumstances that caused the 
change, and thus learn more of the habits, 
superstitions and needs of the people than 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 367 

you could in any other way. You might 
possibly have the same child for a number 
of years ; but if not, you would have the 
joy of knowing that more than one lit- 
tle candle had been lighted, and you would 
pray God to keep it burning until the per- 
fect day. For they cannot be in these 
Christian training-homes a week without 
some little spark at least of knowledge 
having been kindled in their dark minds. 
We hope that they can never be just the 
same as before ; and who can tell whether 
this or that shall prosper — that dropped by 
the wayside, or this so long tended by anx- 
ious, watchful love ? 

Have you heard of the little child-wife 
in our school ? Her husband is sawing 
wood for us to-day. He sometimes comes 
to school with her and his own little ones, 
whom she lugs with her everywhere she 
goes. It is almost two years since he took 
her, the daughter of his own brother, yet 
she is a slight little creature of not over 
eleven years now. She has fretted so that 
her father has several times allowed her to 
go home for a little while. She is with her 



368 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

parents just now, and her father says he 
does not want her to go back to her hus- 
band any more : " she cries too much." 
He wants us to take her into the Home ; 
and oh, I do hope he may not change his 
mind before the place is ready for her. 

That brio-ht httle son of Shat-e-ritch who 
so manfully helped to take our mission stuff 
up the river a year ago, and whom we hoped 
to have in the Home, has fallen heir to his 
uncle-chief's houses, blankets and widow — 
an old woman from whom death may re- 
lease him in a few years ; but he has taken 
possession, and is now lord and master of a 
chiefs estate. . . . Carrie M. Willard. 

Chilcat Mission, 

Haines, Alaska, November 7, 1883. 

Dear Friends: A few days ago we 
learned of the sad fate of another of our 
girls, who is now about sixteen years old. 
About two years ago she was given as sec- 
ond wife to an old man whose first wife was 
as decrepit as himself. This she endured 
until a year ago, when her position was 
rendered still more terrible by the accusa- 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 369 

tion of witchcraft. She was tortured, and 
at length confessed that she had, together 
with Jim (our Ned's father), been the means 
of the death of a httle boy who was the son 
of Cla-not's sister, and of the paralysis of 
his father's arm. She had stolen the dirty, 
raeeed shirt-sleeve of the man, she said, 
and given it to Jim, who hid it in a "dead- 
box ;" and, immediately after, the man's 
arm began to shrivel. When asked after- 
ward why she told this lie, she said, " Be- 
cause of the torture." The child had noth- 
ing with which to pay for her release, and 
the afflicted family took her for their slave. 
We hear that the friends are but waiting to 
begin again their trial of Jim. Of course 
the accusing party is a very strong one — 
both Cla-not and his sister. . . . 

Fanny does the most of our interpreting 
now, and does it simply and well, though 
it is an especially trying position for her. 
When we found that Mrs. Dickinson was 
not coming last Sabbath, Mr. Willard said, 

"Well, Fanny will have to talk for me 
to-day." 

She looked down, and did not make any 

24 



570 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

reply except a movement of impatience or 
uneasiness. 

Mr. Willard beo-an to o-o over the lesson 
with her ; it was on the raising of the wid- 
ow's son of Nain. When he was through, 
he asked if she understood it. 

" No," she said, very distinctly. 

I called her to come and sit down beside 
me in the bigf window, and, taking a lot of 
blocks from Kotzie's play-box, I built a city 
with a wall about it, explained the purpose 
of the latter, then showed the little house 
where lived the widow, told of her one boy 
who cared for her, of his death, of her grief. 
With a doll and the lid of a box and a 
winding ribbon, we led the little proces- 
sion of mourners down the street and 
through the city's gate. We had before 
seen that Jesus was leaving a neighbor- 
inor town, and now he was nearingr the 
eate as the funeral came out. Then the 
joyful return. 

Among the many applications, I spoke 
of how like the dead we all are with Jesus, 
of our helplessness until we are touched by 
Him who makes us strone to do for him, 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 37 1 

and brought it down to Fanny, whose 
tongue was dead before her people until 
Jesus touched her heart as he did the bier 
of the widow's son ; then right away it was 
full of words for him. There was a change 
instantly in her whole aspect, and in a few 
moments she slipped away to her room to 
gain more of die help which God alone can 
give us ; and I knew then that she would 
do well. She did do well, speaking out 
with perfect ease ; so diat all in the build- 
ing could hear widiout any effort. 

We had two services, and a roomful of 
children followed us home at nightfall. I 
had asked Minnie, the litde child-wife, to 
come home with me, because a few days 
before she had committed a little theft and 
I wanted to have a talk with her. But, as 
all the rest came and the room filled up, I 
concluded to give them all the benefit of 
the lesson. They were looking at a pict- 
ure of little Samuel answering the call he 
thought Eli's ; so, taking that story of God's 
talking to the litde boy and telling him what 
he wanted him to do for a text, I preached 
them a little sermon full of questions on 



372 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

the commandments — God's talk to each of 
these httle boys and g-irls. Without hav- 
ing made any personal allusions, I soon 
discovered my little culprit under the table; 
but when the closing talk of Jesus' love and 
mercy and help came, the little head came 
out into the light in its eagerness, and the 
hymns were sung joyously. The children 
are learning to sing beautifully together, 
and are getting quite an idea of the parts, 
trying, with no mean success, the alto and 
bass as well as the air. 

Minnie's father came to see us about her. 
He says that his brother is very angry that 
he didn't send her back ; he says that she 
belongs to him and he needs her. I told 
her father that if he did make her go back 
again I should tell the man-of-war the very 
first thinor when I saw it aofain. 

Oh, if we only had the Home ! or if we 
had known in time that we could have got- 
ten provision enough for more, then how 
glad we would have been to lay it in and 
take these little ones ! The people's ex- 
tremity as to food seems to be the great 
opportunity of getting all the children, if 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 373 

we could take care of them; but God knows 
it all, and he loves them. 

November 9, 1883. — Among the many- 
demands of yesterday, besides those of my 
home and children, was the cutting and fit- 
ting of a nice black alpaca polonaise for 
Mrs. Chilcoot Jack. She has a tall, slen- 
der figure and such a sweet, sad young 
face, a good head with a heavy braid of 
glossy black hair, and in her new dress 
looks like a nice white lady. 

Before I had finished cutting it came 
Mrs. Harry Kah-dum-jah, a little crip- 
pled woman with four children (two of 
whom I immediately despatched to school), 
with an old frock-coat which her husband 
had gotten from some of the white men. 
She wanted a whole suit from it for her 
five-year-old boy. We ripped it up and 
cut a nice little jacket from the skirts, and 
a good pair of pants from the sleeves. 
From the extravagant pleasure at the re- 
sult, I could see that she had not really 
expected me to give her all she wanted 
out of that coat. She is very bright and 
a good seamstress, and took up all my 



374 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

directions for its making quite readily. 
When she had finished sewing up the 
seams and I brought a hot flat-iron to 
press them out, she seemed as much de- 
hghted as if I had presented her with a 
new tailor-made suit. The little boy him- 
self was so rejoiced with the idea of hav- 
inof a coat that fitted him that he ran off 
to school with the body of it on while we 
were fixing the sleeves. Her baby-boy is 
a little older than mine — a beautiful child 
just creeping about the floor. He had only 
the customary rag about his shoulders — a 
little short cotton shirt — though it was so 
cold that with all the fire I could keep go- 
ing in the big box-stove I dared not let my 
baby down on the floor, with all his thick, 
warm flannels. 

The child was not well ; and when I 
brought an old pair of flannel drawers to 
put on him, his mother showed me that his 
spine was curved. 

"Why, what did that?" I asked. 

With as much seriousness as though she 
were saying " A fall," she said, 

"Witches." 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 375 

I had many times seen the child lugged 
about by a little six-year-old sister, slung 
over her back in a blanket, from which it 
would be a very easy matter for the fat, 
heavy, helpless baby to drop. Of course 
I gave her a lesson on witchcraft and the 
proper care of not only babies, but their 
weak little sisters. 

Before I had finished, as if to give the 
discourse point, my baby Fred, in his healthy 
restlessness, grew tired of the arm-chair 
into which I had tucked him, and, trying 
to gain the floor, reached it in too much 
haste, getting such a bump on his wee pug- 
nose as brouofht the blood. As soon as I 
had hushed him in my arms I turned to 
the woman with an expression of great 
concern, and asked, 

" What is the matter with Baby's nose ? 
See the blood !" 

She looked surprised a little, and an- 
swered that he struck it when he fell from 
the chair. But I gravely said, 

" It must be witches." 

She glanced quickly up to my face, and 
I could see the expression of half terror, 



37^ LIFE IN ALASKA. 

half surprise, that had possession of hers 
before her searching revealed to her the 
changing expression of mine ; then she 
broke into a hearty laugh as she clearly 
comprehended my meaning. 

There were a dozen or more minor calls 
from men about wood, women who were 
in trouble with their husbands, parents 
wanting us to take their children, counsels 
about a boy who ran away because his fa- 
ther whipped him ; they were afraid that 
he had gone to the woods and killed him- 
self. Then came the getting of dinner for 
the school-eoers, the earlier lunchinof of 
Kotzie and Fred and putting the latter to 
bed for his midday sleep. 

After dinner the room was still full of 
Indians wanting help in various ways. 
Some had sick children whom they wished 
me to visit. It was impossible for me to 
leave home even for a moment until my 
own little ones were asleep in their beds 
for the night and their papa in the house 
to hearken should they cry. 

In the evening I took the lantern and 
went to the village. Ann and Fanny had 



\ 



LIFE IN ALASKA. 377 

washed up the dishes, and wanted to go 
with me ; so I gladly took them. We went 
to the little sick girl first. I found her ly- 
ing curled up on a little sheepskin spread 
on the floor near the fire, and suffering. 
The child's soft, large eyes looked mourn- 
fully out from the thick, matted hair; the 
quivering of the dirty little mouth was al- 
most hidden by the old blanket she drew 
so tightly about her ; but she saw the cakes 
I slipped under it, and looked up at me as 
I stroked back her hair and sang her hymns 
in Kling-get. There were about thirty per- 
sons in the house, some at work, others 
idling, while the great fish, a yard long and 
nearly a foot through, hung before the blaz- 
ing fire on a string from the rafter above. 
An old man with a stick kept it spinning 
around ; a pan beneath caught the drip- 
pings. The people, old and young, joined 
in the singing ; then we repeated the twen- 
ty-third psalm in Kling-get. Her mother 
said the little one's most frequent cry was 
for " school." I crave directions for the 
proper care of the child, and this morn- 
ing sent clean clothes and medicine. 



3/8 LIFE IN ALASKA. 

Our next call was on the old Chilcoot 
doctor who lingers so strangely ; he has 
been dying with consumption for years, 
and now is blind. He caught my hand 
eagerly, and between his gasps for breath 
called me his mother, his grandmother, the 
good chief-lady, etc., saying that he wanted 
so much to see my face. I spoke to him 
of death, of God, the Saviour and heaven ; 
and I told him the story of Paul, whom God 
made blind to outside things because he 
wished to open the eyes of his heart, and 
we prayed that God would open this poor 
old man's spiritual eyes. He professes to 
believe in Christ and asked me to cut his 
hair off, saying that he wanted to die right 
and he wished Mr. Willard to bury his 
body. This house was also full of peo- 
ple, who listened to the good words. But 
time fails me to tell of the other visits. 
All were, I trust, profitable and will leave 
behind some blessing. 

Carrie M. Willard. 



INDEX AND GLOSSARY. 



[The Numerals Refer to the Pages.] 



Adams (United States war- 
steamer), 234, 237. 

Adeline (small sail-and-row 
boat belonging to the Chil- 
cat mission), 311, 322, 351, 

352, 361. 
Allen (Sitka schoolboy), 280. 
Anahootz (Sitka chief), 16, 17. 
Animals, 189, 316. 
Apples, Indian, 330. 
Austin, Alonzo E., 15, 18, 28, 

29. 33. 36, 95. 187, 247, 262. 
Austin, Mrs. Alonzo E., 232, 

234. 235, 241, 242, 246, 278; 

Hospitality to the Willards, 13. 
Austin, Miss Linnie, 28, 36. 

Beardslee (United States Na- 
vy), Commander L. A., 30. 

Beardslee, Mrs. L. A., 36. 

Bell, Church-, 44. 

Berries, 20, 113, 198, 199, 326. 

Bessie Ann Frazer (Chilcat 
schoolgirl), 312, 324, 325, 
327. 341- 



Birds, 189, 225. 

Blarney-stone, Sitka, Tradition 
concerning, 350. 

Boyd (mission station among 
the Hoonyah), 44, 95, 247, 
288, 345. See Hoo7tyah. 

California (United States 
mail-steamer), 19. 

Canoe, 75, 112, 213, 214,216, 
221, 224, 225, 226, 242. 

Carvings, 39, 78, 277. 

Chatham Straits, 40, 287. 

Chilcat, 18, 19, 26, 39, 40, 47, 
49, 58, 72, 83, 86, 93, 94, loi, 
no, 132, 134, 144, 145, 155, 
156, 165, 168, 170, 188, 190, 
221, 227, 232, 234, 237, 241, 
289 ; Fighting among, 14, 79, 
80-82. 

Chilcat River, 47, 96, 97, 102, 
140, 198, 202, 293, 299. 

Chilcat Home at Haines, 227, 
228, 229, 231, 245, 246, 264, 
354, 362, 368. 372. 
379 



38o 



INDEX AND GLOSSARY. 



Chilcoot, 47, 50, 53, 65, 66, 75, 
89, 102, 108, 139, 188, 290, 
357> 360. 

Chilcoot River, 47, loi, 202. 

Children, Sale of, 153. 

Chiislmas, 158, 159. 

Clah (Indian teacher), 49. 

Cla-not (Chilcat chief), 67, 69, 
141-144,169, 170, 172, 311, 
314, 315, 369. 

Climate, 35, 105, 136, 138, 142, 
157, 172, 173-177, 180, 200- 
205, 213, 267, 283, 310. See 
Sno7v and Sun. 

Clok-won (upper Chilcat vil- 
lage, marked on the map 
"Willard"),66, 77, 78, 216, 
219,226, 227, 295,317,353, 
360. 

Co-ek-y (feast for the dead), 255, 

345- 
Cog-won-tons 343, 360. 
Corlies, Rev. W. H. R., 26, 27, 

95,316,317. 
Corlies, Mrs. W. H. R., 26. 
Corwin (United States revenue 

marine steamer), 236, 238. 
Cremation, 122, 125, 127, 128, 

129, 130, 131, 141, 173-177. 

178-180, 255, 293, 357, 359, 

360. 
Cross Sound, 288. 
Customs of natives : Conferring 

a name, 84; Sale of children, 

152; Treatment of girls, 178, 

179, 230; Marriage, 98, 99, 



138, 139, 143, 163, 278 307, 
335; Dress, 136, 152, 158, 160, 
161,210,356; Morning bath, 
161; Eating, 113, 199, 200, 
344; Making a feast, 342; 
Making peace in war, 95, 141- 
146, 165-167, 237, 238; Sick- 
ness, 109, 114,115, 116, 117, 
118, 119, 120, 121, 122 ; Feast 
for the dead, 255, 345 , Fu- 
neral, 124, 125, 126, 131, 249, 
357; Future life, 249, 305; 
Murder, 14, 16, 79,80,81,82; 
Family affection, 162. 

Dead, Feast for, 255, 345. 

Deaf natives, 212. 

De Grofif, Mr., 211. 

Dickinson, George (w'hite trad- 
er), 49. 93. 219. 

Dickinson, Mrs. George (inter- 
preter at Haines), 49, 56, 71, 
75, 84, 94, 105, 159, 160, 182, 
219, 248, 300, 301, 302, 350, 

369- 
Dickinson, William, 72. 
Dona-wok (Chilcat chief), 50, 

56, 67. 71, 74, 88, 89, 98, 

loi, 130, 138, 139, 143, 206, 

214, 224, 225, 306, 311. 
Dress customs, 136, 152, 158, 

160, 161, 210, 356. 
Drowning regarded a great 

evil, 260. 
Dunbar, Miss Maggie J. (Mrs. 

J. W. McFarland), 22, 247. 



INDEX AND GLOSSARY. 



381 



Duncan, Mr. William, 44, 49. 
Dy-ya Inlet (Ty-ya), 188, 214, 
290, 320, 321, 

Earthquake, 217. 

Eating customs, 1 13, 199, 200, 

344- 
Education, Compulsory, 31. 

Family affection, 162. 
Fanny (Chilcat schoolgirl), 
209,210, 313, 324, 325, 327, 

369- 
Favorite (private trading-steam- 
er), 14, 19, III, 187, 195, 

196, 211, 213, 220, 238. 

Feast-making, 342. 

Fish, 56, 135, 189, 198, 199, 

206-208, 215, 216, 221, 224, 

286, 321, 326. 
Flowers, 26, 102, 224, 2S6, 310. 
Funeral customs, 18, 124, 125, 

126,131,249,357. See Oy- 

vtation. 

Girls, Treatment of, 17S, 179, 

230, 367, 368. 
Glaciers, 105, 139, 217, 326. 
Glass (United States Navy), 

Commander Henry, 14, 15, 

16, 18, 30, T,l, 70, 127. 
Gold, 135, 230. 

Gould, Miss Clara A., 246, 322. 
Gould, Rev. J. Loomis, 246, 247. 
Gun-un-uh (interior tribe), 317. 

See Slick. 



Haines, Mrs. F. E. H., 206, 

210, 227, 229. 
Haines (mission station among 

the Chilcats), 47, 241, 246, 

247. 283, 317, 361. 
Hoochinoo (an intoxicating 

drink), 16, 30, 32, 214, 215, 

360. 
Hoochinoo tribe, 67, 280. 
Hoonyah, 44, 247, 288, 345. 

See Boyd. 
Houses, 53, 54. 
Hydah tribe, 25, 67, 213. 

Jackson, D. D., Rev. Sheldon, 
3, 15, 21, 30, 39, 40, 43, 44, 
49, 58, 63, 67, 68, 94, 95, 
132, 133. 134, 144, 153. 184, 
21S, 23s, 239, 241, 246, 270, 
316, 322. 

Jackson (mission station among 
the Hydahs), 246, 247. 

Jamestown (United States man- 
of-war), 14, 30, 65, 281. 

Jewelry, Native, t,t„ 39. 

Jim, Skoo-kum, 143, 145. 

Juneau(gold-mining camp), 135, 
138, 1S5, 186, 196, 197, 211, 
213, 215, 216, 217, 220, 231, 
288, 362. 

Kaht-LUTL (Chilcat chief), 

345- 
Kendall, D. D., Rev. Henry, 

354- 
K-hossy Heen Inlet, 290. 



382 



INDEX AND GLOSSARY. 



Kill-is-noo (fishing and trading 
post of North-western Trad- 
ing Company), 237. 

Kinney cannery, 321. 

Kling-get (language spoken by 
ail the tribes of the Alexan- 
der Archipelago except the 
Hydah), 142. 

Krause, Drs. Aurel and Arthur, 
135. 190. 193- 

Langdon, Mrs. C. H., 44. 

Language, 39. 

Lawrence (boy at Sitka), 279, 
280. 

Lindenberg Harbor, 285, 287. 

Lord's Supper, 235, 239. 

Lot, 211. 

Lull (United States Navy), Com- 
mander Edward P., 66, 70. 

Lynn Channel, 47, lOI, 202, 
288. 

Lyons, Rev. G. W., 28. 

Mail, 135, 138, 185, 186, 187, 
196, 213, 216, 241, 311, 316, 

317- 

McFarland, Mrs. A. R., 22, 49, 
246. 

McFarland Home (training- 
school for girls at Fort Wran- 
gell), 22, 25, 26, 139, 226. 

McFarland, Rev. John W., 247. 

Manufactures, 25, 39. 

Marriage, 98, 99, 138, 139, 143, 
163, 278, 307, 335. 



Matthews, Miss Elizabeth L., 
235, 241, 242, 246, 286, 290, 
297. 3". 322, 324, 325, 327, 
350. 367. 368. 

Medicine-men, 47, 107, 109, 
iio, 114, 115, 117, 118, 120, 
121, 122, 131, 132, 133, 134, 
146, 179, 237, 238, 258-260, 
345. See Witchcraft . 

Merriman (United States Navy), 
Commander, 237, 328. 

Met-lah-kat-lah (British mission 
station), 47, 96. 

Miners, Rescue of, 320-324; 
Welcome, 353. 

Missions, Woman's Executive 
Committee of Home, 47, 

245- 

Moses Jamestown (Sitka school- 
boy), 281. 

Mount Saint Elias, 21. 

Murder customs, 14, 16, 79, 80, 
81, 82. 

Nauk Bay, 206, 207, 224. 
Nauk-y-stih (Indian name given 

to Mrs. Willard), 84-87. 
Ned (Chilcat schoolboy), 311. 

312,314,315,316, 318, 321, 

325. 331. 332, 351- 
North-west Trading Company, 
197, 238. 

Oil, Fish, 57, 112, 113, 199, 

346. 
Owl, Superstitions concerning, 



INDEX AND GLOSSARY. 



383 



320-331 ; Tradition of origin, 
346-350. 

Parker (United States Navy), 

Surgeon, 70. 
Paul, Louis and Tillie (native 

missionaries), 215-217, 219, 

226, 293, 295, 317, 318. 
Peace-making, 92, 141-146, 

165-167, 237, 238. 
Peril Strait, 285. 
Philip (Chilcat silversmith), 

333-339. 354-360. 
Polygamy, 171, 335-339. 
Portage Bay, 47, loi, 202, 289. 
Potter, Mrs. B. F., 261. 
Prayer, Natives' faith in, 107, 

108, 109, no, 306, 307. 
Productions, 73, 135, 19S, 199. 

Rankin, Miss Kate A., 322, 

323- 

Raven, Superstitions concern- 
ing, 340. 

Religious belief concerning a 
future life, 108. 

Retreat Point, 288. 

Rivers: Chilcat, 47,96, 97, 102, 
140, 198, 202, 293, 299 ; Chil- 
coot, 47, loi, 202; Yukon, 

231, 321 ; Pelly, 321. 

Rose (small coasting-steamer), 

232, 233, 234, 283, 284. 

Salmon, 56, 105, 113, 135,296, 
310, 346, 354. 



Scenery, 193, 224, 225, 288, 

289. 
Scholarships in mission schools, 

364- 

Schools: Russian (Sitka), 28; 
McFarland Home, 22, 25, 26, 
139; Sheldon Jackson Insti- 
tute, 15,29,30, 153, 154,239, 
270-282, 350; Haines, 49, 
105, 164; Clok-won, 219; 
Compulsory attendance, 31. 

Seal, 190. 

Shat-e-ritch (Chilcat chief), 66, 
79, 83, 84, 89, 142, 145, 146, 
212, 220, 36S. 

Sheep, Mountain, 107. 

Sheldon Jackson Institute (an 
industrial training-school for 
Indian boys and girls), 29, 30, 
153, 154, 239, 270-282, 350. 

Simpson, Port (British mission 
station), 67, 170. 

Sitka, 15, 19, 27, 29, 39, 67, 89, 
94, 95, 96, 105, 112, 139, 
143, 187, 196, 197, 213, 245, 
247, 264-282, 285, 291, 345, 
346; Berries, 20; Vegetables, 
21; Murders, 16; Funeral, 18. 

Sitka Jack, 165, 166, 167, 172. 

Snow, 136, 138, 157, 158, 172- 
177, 19S, 200-205, 206, 213, 
224, 267, 354. 

Snow-shoes, 136, 138, 140, 172, 
185, 200, 205. 

Steam-launch, 90, 155,220, 224, 
226, 241, 361. 



384 



INDEX AND GLOSSARY. 



Stick (interior), 8o, 149, 168, 
169, 293. See Gun-ttn-uli. 

Stickeen tribe, 26, 39. 

Styles, Walter B., 247, 277. 

Styles, Mrs. W. B., 95. 

Sun, Rising and setting of, 20, 
137, 222. 

Symonds (United States Navy), 
Lieutenant F. M., 30. 

Takoo tribe, 135. 

Te-nany (fishing village), 140, 

188. 
Totems, 79, 343. 
Townsend, Port, 196. 

Vegetables, 21, 135. 

Wachusette (United States 
war-steamer), 59, 65, 127, 

234- 
Willard, Rev. Eugene S., 9, 15, 
17, 18, 57,68,71,75,83,89, 
90, 91, 106, 107, 110, 113, 
120, 124, 126, 127, 131, 139, 
141, 144, 146, 149, 150, 166- 
169, 170, 172, 173, 177, 181, 
182, 188, 209, 21S, 219, 226, 
241, 271, 286, 290, 295, 309, 
311, 315,316,318, 320-323, 



324, 327, 328, 329, 338, 350, 
378. 

WiUard, Mrs. Eugene S. (bio- 
graphical sketch), 8, 215,218. 

Willard, Carrie (Kotzie), 239, 
243, 244, 262, 263, 290, 297, 

300. 329. 351. 352- 
Willard, Frederick Eugene 
Austin, 239, 241, 243, 262, 

298. 35i> 352, 375- 

Willards: Sickness, 180-183, 
218,219; Starving, 218, 220- 
223, 231-233; Abundant la- 
bors, 373-378. 

Witchcraft, 107, 120, 121, 13 1, 
141, 172, 173, 178-180, 205, 
279, 280, 281, 300-305, 330, 
346, 369. See JMedicine-men. 

Woman's Executive Committee 
of Home Missions, 47, 245. 

Wrangell, Fort, 21, 49, 94, 105, 
179, 196, 211, 226, 228, 229, 
246, 247, 318, 322, 345. 

Y'hinda-stachy (lower Chil- 
cat village), 345, 351, 353, 
360. 

Young, Rev. S. Hall, 25, 27, 
247. 

Yukon River, 231. 



THE END. 



459- 90 








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